From the Nominator

At the American School of Guatemala, fostering a sense of pride and belonging for students is crucial. Recognizing that our existing school mascot, while impactful, carried an aggressive tone that intimidated younger students, we worked to create its identity with input from our different stakeholders and reintroduce our beloved Hornet in a more approachable and enchanting manner. The result was the creation of a children's book, "Are You a Hornet?" which revolves around a new student's first day of school and her encounter with the Hornet, who becomes her first friend. Through this narrative, we integrated the core values of our school and mascot, portraying different scenarios that students might encounter on their first day of school. To enhance the experience, we designed illustrations portraying a friendlier version of the Hornet and developed corresponding merchandise. A week before school began, we delivered personalized boxes to each incoming pre-kindergarten student's home, containing the book, a Hornet-themed t-shirt, sticker pack, crayons, and bookmark. Parents were encouraged to read the story to their children, presenting it as a gift from their new friend, the Hornet, welcoming them to our school community. To emphasize the connection between students and the mascot, we produced a video showing the Hornet "creating" the book and surprising two students with the special delivery. The initiative has proven immensely successful, instilling a sense of pride and belonging among students, who now enthusiastically embrace the Hornet as a cherished friend, fostering a lasting connection with our school and mascot.

From the Judges

We all agreed, what a creative idea! We loved the use of the mascot--a hornet--and the community metaphor--a hive--to demonstrate a collective commonality and interconnected community of individuals. We also liked that they focused on community and alumni buy-in through focus groups and messaging. We applaud their strategic thinking around all constituencies and generations.