Behind The Mask: The Blue Devil Mascot

Emily Zickuhr | April 8, 2024 | The Spring Supplemental

The screams of rowdy Stanton College Preparatory School freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors fill the gymnasium. Their cheers are guided by the Blue Devil mascot who uses the Stanton Spirit Stick to elicit loud cheers and chants from the students, section by section.

  With their identity kept anonymous, the beloved Blue Devil mascot maintains a pivotal position in Stanton pep rallies as they are tasked with generating school spirit. In this interview with the current Blue Devil mascot, the student behind the mask recounts their feelings and experiences as the iconic figure who is the symbol of Stanton school spirit.

Are there any challenges or responsibilities that come with the position?

 “There’s no challenges. The only thing that sucks is that I sweat too much in it because it gets so hot. But besides that, it’s really fun and I actually really like doing it.”

How does being the mascot make you feel?

“It feels great. Nobody knows who I am but I’m still, you know, hyping up the whole crowd and it makes me feel good and a little excited too.”

Do you miss participating with the students in the stands?

“Yes, because I’ll be near the bathroom area, and I just look at my own class and they’re all just hype. While I’m just like standing there-but it’s okay.”

What do you enjoy about the job?

 “I really like getting everyone excited. Like when I come out, everyone is cheering, I really like that.”

How did you get offered the position, or did you volunteer?

“No, some girl from the Leadership Class just came up to me and she said, ‘do you want to do it?’ and I said ‘sure, I’m down to do it.’”

Were there any requirements you had to fill for the job?

“You have to be tall. I remember she said that you had to be tall.”

What does your routine look like before you go out during the pep rallies?

“Okay, so they call me out to go to the little student area where the office, Student Activities office is, and I go into there and then I get dressed. After, I put on some Febreze into the costume, so it doesn’t smell bad, and put it on, then go out and over there [near the senior courtyard] so I can meet some people if they want to take some pictures, then I just get to it.”

What does your routine look like after the pep rallies?

“So, I go to the Student Activities office again, take it off and then put a little bit of Febreze on me this time, then I try to dry myself, then I just go home.”

Is your role supposed to be kept a secret due to the mask and costume? 

“It is, but because my shoes are so iconic everyone knows it's me. The New Balance’s. But that’s okay.”

Photo by Garrett Lawrence

Have you ever been asked by other students/faculty if you were the mascot, or is it openly known?

“Yup. Mrs. Bureau, my anatomy teacher, she was like, ‘what are you doing? Because I know you don’t go out rarely,’ and I was just like, ‘oh, I just do the mascot,’ and then the students, most of my friends are like, ‘I know it’s you. I know it's you.’”

Do you have any favorite memories of your time being the mascot?

“After the pep rally, when I went home, some girl took a video of me doing something weird and I laughed at that. I don’t know, I was doing something weird with my cape and that was my favorite moment.”

What kind of impact do you think the mascot has on school spirit? 

“I feel like it shows the spirit of the school because while one class can get hype, everyone can just get hype because of the one thing. Just because of one symbol of the mascot, the Blue Devil.”

Do you think you serve a good amount of excitement during each of your appearances?

“Oh yeah. They get hyped when I go out there. Well, I don’t think it’s just because of me. I think it’s because of the mascot and the rules of it. But yeah, I think there’s lots of excitement.”

Do you have anything else you want to say about your time as the mascot?

“I really love doing it. That’s about it.”