PENDER COUNTY — Pender County Schools has finalized the mascots for the new J.H. Lea Elementary and J.H. Lea Middle schools following the completion of a two-step public voting process.
The Pelicans will represent the elementary school while the Marlins will serve as the official mascot for the middle school. The Pender County Board of Education approved both selections during a special meeting held earlier today.
The mascot selection process began in October, when students from South Topsail Elementary, Topsail Annandale Elementary, and Topsail Middle School submitted ideas for potential mascots. Each school forwarded its top five entries, creating a list of 15 student-generated options that were shared with the public.
After the first round of voting, the top three mascots for each school advanced to the final ballot.
- Elementary finalists: Jellyfish, Pelicans, Seahorses
- Middle finalists: Marlins, Barracuda, Whale Sharks
The final round closed on Nov. 26, with Pelicans receiving 39.7% of the elementary vote and Marlins earning 43.1% for the middle school.
Superintendent Brad Breedlove said the strong community involvement speaks to the excitement surrounding the new campuses.
“These selections weren’t made in isolation, our students and families truly shaped them,” he said in a press release. “The Pelicans and Marlins reflect the creativity and enthusiasm we’ve seen throughout this project, and they’ll help set the tone as we prepare to open the doors of the J.H. Lea schools.”
The district will now move forward with developing logos, branding materials, and spirit items as work continues on both schools.
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