With a loud screech, some boos and eventually some cheers, the Hart High School community celebrated the beginning of a new tradition Friday, with Rachel, a Harris hawk, unveiled to represent the mascot replacement for the Indians in the school’s gymnasium.  Rachel initially hung out in the rafters when Hart High School Principal Jason d’Autremont stood on a ladder in front of a basketball hoop with a falconer’s glove, trying to summon the bird for her grand debut.  The pep rally also was a send-off of the Indians mascot for the senior class, after the campus community elected to make the mascot the Hawk in a vote by students and staff. The Indian has been the mascot for the Santa Clarita Valley’s oldest high school since its opening in 1946.  Hart High School principal Jason d’Autremont announces the hawk as the new Hart High School mascot the Hart High Senior Rally in Newhall on Friday, 050324. Dan Watson/The Signal There will be some wrinkles to work out, d’Autremont acknowledged afterward, as Rachel seemed to become more comfortable after the morning pep rally let out, making a few different perches in the quad’s trees as students looked on.  “I was wishing, you know, with live animals, anything can happen — and so we were hoping that she’d land on me, but it’s alright,” he said. “The kids, I think, still found it kind of interesting and were excited about it.”  When asked about the loud booing heard during the pep rally when the talk of change was brought up, he mentioned an earlier poll the campus took indicating an even split in the students’ sentiment.  “Any time you have such a monumental change to the oldest school in our district, we wanted to bring some sort of excitement to that process so the kids could rally behind something, and it was our senior rally,” he said. “So we’re sending our seniors off, and it was appropriate to send the Indian off as well.”  Brady Ellis, a senior and president of the school’s Associated Student Body, said many felt the move was being forced on the school and recalled a poll taken his freshman year that indicated students wanted to keep the Indian as a mascot.   Hart High School principal Jason d’Autremont announces the new Hart High School Hawks mascot logo during the Hart High Senior Rally in Newhall on Friday, 050324. Dan Watson/The Signal “It’s a little bit of a sore spot because not everyone wants to change it. There’s a lot of people who had strong feelings,” he said, pointing out some T-shirts students had made for the rally with the Indian mascot on it as a protest.  “But it’s gotten to the point that the district pushed it through. There’s not much we can do about it. So you just got to live with it, move forward and make the best of this new mascot,” he said.  The William S. Hart Union High School District’s governing board approved the change with a vote in 2021, citing a need to move away from a race-based symbol.   Hart students and staff voted during a one-week period this spring, between two options presented: “Hawks” and “Bison.” Out of about 2,000 people, including nearly 1,900 students and support staff, 1,106 votes were submitted, with 833 going for “Hawks.”   Retaining “Indians” was not an option on the ballot, as it had already been ruled out by the school board.  “The shirts were just kind of not in support of this, because it’s been tradition,” said Jasmine Perez, a junior, whose friend was wearing the shirt.   Hart High School principal Jason d’Autremont, right, introduces the three past Hart High principals, from left, Dr. Collyn Nielsen, Gary Fuller, and Laury Strauss during the Hart High Senior Rally in Newhall on Friday, 050324. Dan Watson/The Signal Perez acknowledged she had mixed feelings. She comes from a family of Hart High graduates who were all Indians and understands the tradition, but also the reason for change, she said.  “I’m not a fan of the Hawk, but also, I see the reason behind it and why it was changed,” she added.  Before the start of the unveiling, senior class President Lucia Siebaldi said she was looking forward to bringing on the new mascot while she was hosting her last pep rally on campus.  “I think people are more accepting of the change now,” she said, acknowledging students’ hesitancy to let go of tradition. “I’m excited.”     Ellis also said it was an honor to be the class that led the change.  “I mean, that’s one of the most important things our class will do, or be known for, is the fact that we picked the mascot for however many generations of Hart students who will be around with the Hawks,” he said.  While there were loud boos when dropping the Indian mascot was mentioned, Rachel earned her share of cheers from the crowd of onlookers in the gym.   The plan for next year is to have Rachel also come out to open football games, d’Autremont said after the assembly.  “It’s tough losing something with so much history,” he added. “But at the same time, we’re, like I said, embracing the change and hoping for the best.”  A new rally cry is in the works, he said.  “You heard the screech,” he said, referring to Rachel. “We’ll figure out something for next year.”  The post <strong>Hart High unveils Hawks at pep rally</strong>  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.