No Warm and Fuzzy Mascot for Marcos de Niza
When students from other schools arrive on the MdN campus, they don’t immediately receive the warmest welcome. No, the Padres are not a mob of bullies. The Padre, however, has been known to intimidate his fair share of rival teams.Pulling into the student parking lot, it is nearly impossible to miss the faceless hooded figure looming overhead. This mural, strategically placed on an outside wall of the auditorium, has earned the Padre the nickname “the grim reaper.”
“He’s so creepy,” says senior Gillian Grabowski. “The face is completely blacked out until you get really close. Even then, you can barely see the outline of a face. I think the mystery behind it is what makes our mascot so different.”
The Padre is conspicuous across the entire campus. One well-known appearance is the larger-than-life-sized bronze statue on the north side of the courtyard. This is prime territory in that every student finds him or herself in the courtyard at least once if not several times a day.
The courtyard is in the very center of campus and usually the most direct route from class to class. It is open and has plenty of seating and shade, perfect for hanging out with friends before school, between classes, at lunch and after school.
The relaxed atmosphere of the courtyard appeals to senior Markus Rodriguez. He says, “When I don’t go off campus for lunch, I like to chill in the courtyard ‘cause it’s pretty laid-back. Everyone is doing something different, but it doesn’t bother anyone. You can pretty much do whatever and everyone is cool with it.”
Be it hanging out with friends or scaring the bajeebies out of rival teams, Padre pride reigns supreme on the MdN campus.
Also see:
- Cameron Johnson. December 2008 Cover Model
- Caneron Johnson Q & A
- Marcos de Niza Pictures & Statistics
- Performing Arts is A Spirited Endeavor at MdN
- Padres: Diverse But United
- Sweet Smell of Victory: MdN Ahtletics
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