On March 17, 2020 and after significant school-wide discussion and debate, the Hanover High School Council voted in favor of removing the Marauder as our school’s mascot. The following week, Council created a Mascot Committee—formally known as The New Mascot Selection and Implementation Committee—to figure out how to replace our school’s mascot with one that best represents everyone at the school.
Chaired by Kavi Patel (‘24), Josh Stearns (‘24), and Jason Hirschhorn (Staff), the Mascot Committee ultimately held two elections. The first election determined the name of the new mascot from a list of five finalists—Bears, Hawks, Huskies, Maroon Crush, and Trailblazers. On March 2, 2022, Council officially adopted the “Bears” as our new mascot’s name. (Click here for the Valley News’ coverage.)
The second election determined which of the community-created designs would form the basis of the new mascot’s design. Bearing teeth resembling the twin states, a design by Hanover High School alumna Ani Menkov won this second election. On May 11, 2022, Council officially adopted Ms. Menkov’s design. (Click here for the Valley News’ coverage.) From there, Kara Waters, a teacher in the Art Department, worked alongside Ms. Menkov and Megan Sobel, the Athletics Director, to adapt Ms. Menkov’s design.
Selecting a new mascot name and design was a team effort: countless members of the Mascot Committee attended weekly committee meetings for over a year; Hanover High School alumnus Douglas Harp presented to aspiring designers on how best to create logos; Mr. Harp, Jason Okai, Sarah Glass, Ms. Waters, and Elizabeth Greene helped review design submissions; and every single member of our school community came together to help shape this process and eventual outcome.
Today, members of our Hanover High School community proudly display the Bear in their classes, in their performances, in their clubs, and in their games. Go Bears!
SAU affiliates can download high-resolution PNG images of the mascot here. For custom versions of one of the mascot designs, please email Jessica Eakin.