Leadership recently sought to find an official student mascot for Aragon. After Leadership officials received applications and auditioned candidates, seniors Tate Hanna and Kevin Ruttenberg were chosen to be the school’s two new mascots.
“I’ve always been spirited,” says Ruttenberg. “Since freshman year I’ve always been dressing for spirit days and whatnot. As mascot I have a greater opportunity to inspire other classes and get this school back on track when it comes to spirit.”
Hanna wanted to be a part of a perceived change in campus spirit. “I have been super spirited in the past few years, but there’s a lot that’s been changing this year on campus in terms of spirit,” he says. “Leadership is obviously changing a lot, and there are a lot of students getting really into it. I saw this as an opportunity to help that. I think that a lot of my friends saw me as someone who could really fill the mascot role pretty well, and it seemed like a fun thing to do to be able to pump up a crowd.”
Hanna thinks that the new mascot will help spirit. “In the past two years, we had an unofficial mascot, Jack Herrera, who had his Don outfit and would run the flag,” he says. “With him gone, that would be a huge hit to spirit. It was something we somewhat took for granted. Now he’s gone and there’s this hole. With this hole, something needs to fill it. What’s more perfect than an official mascot?”
After each of the applicants filled out an application, Leadership teacher Melissa Perino and other Leadership officials auditioned them. Hanna says, “They made sure that if we were to fulfill this role that we would be respectful to other teams, that we would be able to pump up a crowd, that since we would be representing Aragon High School, we would be respectful to other teams and other players and not ostracize any one player on any one team.”
The role requires social breadth. Says Hanna, “They wanted someone who knew a broad range of people and vice versa, someone personable, and someone that could easily pump up a crowd and get people excited.”
Hanna and Ruttenberg will represent Aragon at rallies and sports events. “Basically, where the cheerleaders are, we’re pretty much there, except for the away games,” says Hanna. “And, anywhere that Leadership really asks us to be at, we’ll be there. It’s not like any designated schedule. It’s just that if Leadership wants us there and we’re available, we’ll be there.”
Freshman Tommy Farahani says, “I think the two new mascots are doing a good job at representing Aragon by showing pride and how great it is to go to Aragon, encouraging the players in games to keep the games going well. I encourage the mascots to be friendly and communicative with everyone at Aragon as well as for them to continue showing pride for the school games and players.”
