Student Vote Will Decide New School Name, Mascot, Colors

The name of Southfield’s new high school and its mascot will be decided by a student vote, according to Superintendent Dr. Lynda Wood.
The ballot will include school names and sets of school colors, as well as a handful of mascot choices, said Derrick Lopez, Associate Superintendent of Instruction.
A committee of 20 students from Southfield High and 20 from Southfield-Lathrup are meeting periodically during the school year to brainstorm new ideas for the combined school.
Other plans call for grouping all ninth graders next year in O-House, confirmed Wood, in an exclusive interview. “This will be a great transition for future ninth graders from middle to high school,” Wood said.
O House is the front portion the Southfield High. At present, the front of the school is occupied by University High School, which is slated to move to Southfield-Lathrup High School next year.
“One name we are considering is Southfield Central High School,” said Asia Bates, who is one of the 20 representatives from Southfield High on the committee. “Another name we talked about is United Southfield Academy so we could be U.S.A. and have the school colors of red, white, and blue.”
Students from both high schools will be able to vote, said junior Tyler Washington, who is also on the committee, representing Southfield High .
One mascot choice the group has discussed is a Pegasus, but the plural of Pegasus is Pegai, and Bates said she did not like the idea of shouting “Go Pegai” at sporting events.
The 40 students from rival schools work peacefully together at meetings to plan the new school, said the superintendent.
Wood said she was unsure about what to do with the years of trophies and plaques accumulated by both high schools over the years. They could either be “digitized,” Wood said, (photographed and stored on a computer file) or the two schools could create a “memorial garden” of trophies and photos, Wood said.
Wood emphasized it was important to make room for the future school in the display cases and on the walls of the building.
Due to decreased enrollment, the merger of the high schools was approved at a Board of Education meeting held June 9.
Planned construction changes to Southfield High are include an improved TV and radio station near the library, as well as a dance studio across from the band room.