The long-awaited mascot was picked and the high schoolers and teachers have cast their votes: the mako shark won. Last month, that is.
The delay in implementing the new costume, school spirit, and logo design is a short series of tabled or split votes from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) Committee, a board of nine members.
The MVRHS committee met on June 1 and on Monday to vote on possible adoption of the chosen mascot, which would include providing funds for the students to purchase a mako shark costume and merch. However, the committee cited hesitation to abandon the former mascot in both meetings, which according to them, was “the Fisherman.” That figure, however, has left virtually no trace in student life. The MVRHS students who started the initiative for a new mascot even included an option for “Fisherman” in their poll, and it received few votes.
The initiative for a new mascot was started by two sophomore students, Madison Curelli and Charlotte Cramer, the founders of the school’s Spirit Club at the start of the school year. Curelli and Cramer conducted a survey of students and faculty with a list of mascot options, with a final list of the mako shark, the osprey, and the tide.
The final two were the shark and osprey. The mako shark won 54 percent of votes and the osprey won 46 percent. The Spirit Club stated the shark was chosen because it’s a symbol of resilience, and the animal’s intelligence and athleticism sets it apart.
Some committee members said that the issues facing the mascot adoption should be more cut and dry. “If there’s a problem with the fisherman, let’s call a spade a spade,” school committee member Amy Houghton said in Monday’s meeting.
And administrators who work directly with the high schoolers urged the committee to move forward with the mako shark.
“These younger grades want to build school spirit,” said Justine DeOliveira, the MVRHS vice principal. “I think they would be thrilled to just purchase the costume.”
A motion was proposed to allow the students to purchase the mako shark costume, but it didn’t pass. Amy Houghton, Elliott Bennett (a new committee member, representing Edgartown), and Rizwan Malik abstained from voting, Kathryn Shertzer voted it down, and Sarah Murphy, Martha Shufrin, and Skipper Manter voted yes.
Interim principal Sean Mulvey, who is returning to his position as an MVRHS counselor after this school year, said students and faculty have had conversations about the fisherman mascot recently, and that there’s “a lot of concern” regarding how well it represents the student body. The stoic nature of the mascot was a point of contention for students, according to Mulvey, who said “it’s not a smiling person,” and not a “cheerful thing.”
“Sometimes, it’s a swing and a miss, and this one didn’t stick,” Mulvey said of the fisherman.
Graduate of the MVRHS here and life long islander. First I ever heard of the fisherman mascot is in recent articles in the local papers. I don’t have a dog in the fight and don’t care what the mascot is. But let’s be real. We never had anything with a fisherman mascot on it.
This debate continues to miss the point. It’s not simply about replacing “the Fisherman.” It’s about replacing the Vineyarders identity that has represented generations of students and alumni. Those are not the same thing.
The student vote was also far from overwhelming. The mako shark received 54 percent of the vote and the Osprey 46 percent. Nearly half the students preferred a mascot uniquely identified with Martha’s Vineyard rather than a generic shark found throughout the world’s oceans.
Perhaps that’s what troubles me most. We live in a world increasingly drawn to symbols of intimidation, aggression, and violence. A school has the opportunity to celebrate something different. An Osprey represents strength, resilience, and a genuine connection to this Island without glorifying violence. To me, that’s the better lesson for a school mascot.
Given the public reaction, the committee’s hesitation shouldn’t come as a surprise. The mock-up does the proposal no favors. Instead of projecting pride or school spirit, it looks unintentionally comical.
Forty-six percent of the students chose the Osprey. That’s hardly a rejection. It suggests the better mascot may have been right in front of us all along.