By: Gabriella Wiegand, Reporter

Photo: Gabriella Wiegand, The head of the Rangeview Raider is soon to be replaced by the new mascot all over campus.

With Spring coming soon, Rangeview looks to change the mascot within weeks. The process has been long, but the new mascot, if there is one, is planned to be announced after Spring Break.

With Rangeview looking to change the mascot, many students and alumni have been frustrated and confused on why we need this change, but Branding Committee member Mr. Corby said it’s a good move.

Mr. Corby states, “I think it’s good to ask the community if we should change.  Mr. Corby adds “I did not find anything that mis-represented Rangeview, we are just searching to see if there is something else, or another possibility. As a Branding Committee we ask ourselves can we update our logo or “clean” it up. We are looking for a modern look as opposed to animated character in my opinion.

As many Rangeview Students may have known, there was a mascot contest in late December, early January. This contest was created by the Branding Committee. The Branding Committee was created by Mr. Fay. The five members of the committee as of now are Ms. Frierson, Mr. Fay, Mr. Sobolewski, Mr. Corby, and Senior Jesus Torres.

Senior Kipp Corby says “I have been involved here since I can remember and I remember the Jet logo. I think we should have stayed with the Jet. Change is not good. We need to commit to a logo as a school. If we are about the pirate, let’s be the pirate. If we are about the jet, let’s stick to the jet.”

Before deciding to create this contest, the committee looked through all of their work last year and all the things that they found that were important to improving school spirit and school culture,and the mascot was brought up by faculty members and students.

Ms. Frierson adds, “We aren’t changing who we are as the Raiders, we are always go to be the Raiders. That would be an identity crisis and that was what we were coming out of and that is not what we want. We are basically defining what the Raider looks like. We are still a pirate, we aren’t moving away from the pirate. We are just making sure he looks like a pirate because what we had, if you really look at it doesn’t look like a pirate.”

The committee then decided to start a contest because it involved everyone. A proposal was sent out to alumni, staff, students, the district, and anyone associated to Rangeview to submit a design of what they want in the new mascot. The designs were then narrowed down to three to five designs and now the Branding Committee is going to put those designs out to the entire Rangeview community and let them vote on the new look to identify Rangeview with.

Mr. Corby’s final thoughts about the Mascot and the Branding Committee are “We are not trying to force a change on Rangeview. The way it was to described to me is something that will endure and be around for awhile; something that will represent Rangeview.”