Wappingers Falls School Dropping ‘Indians’ From Name for a New One

What will the Wappingers Falls High School choose as its new mascot/nickname?

It's been well documented over the last few years that some call the use of the term "Indians" racially offensive and because of that any New York school using it is being forced to change to something else.

Back in December of 2022, we told you about how the Roy C. Ketcham High School in the Wappingers Falls Central School District had until the end of last school year to lose its "Indians" moniker or be at risk of losing New York state funding.

New York School Still Using "Indians"

Roy C. Ketcham High School and Mahopac High School were the only New York schools that were still using the "Indians" name at the end of the last school year. Over the summer the Mahopac school district announced that they were changing its name from "Indians" to "Wolf-Pac" for the 2023/24 school year leaving the Dutchess County school as the only school in New York still carrying the "Indians" name.

As the new school year gets underway many are wondering if Ketcham will be keeping the name for the entire 23/24 year or will they be changing at some point during the school year. According to school officials, the school will keep the "Indians" name for now but is expecting to change it sooner rather than later.

Get our free mobile app

We reached out to the school principal David Seipp, to try and find out what the plan is at the school and he told us,

"Student council is going to select 3 names and then the student body will vote on the school name from the 3 names that the student council came up with. We are hoping this will happen by mid October and possibly have a name by the end of Oct to be voted on and approved by the BOE."

 

SEE ALSO: Two Hudson Valley School Districts Named 'Fairest' in New York

What Name Should Roy C. Ketcham High School Change To?

Seipp didn't provide any of the names the student council might be considering so we thought maybe we could help the school in its search for a new mascot/moniker. What do you think their new nickname should be?

Send me your suggestions by emailing me at CJ@HUDSONVALLEYCOUNTRY.COM and I'll include it in an upcoming article.

Here are some of the suggestions we have so far:

Knights
Red Devils
Cougars
Bulldogs
Falcons

Once the school district announces the new name we will update this article.