Mini-OPED: The Lion Mascot at PEA
By JOSEPH KIM‘26
As the sun beats down on the African savanna, a silent predator, the king of the jungle, observes from a cliff the vast landscape below with intimidating power yet graceful tranquility. Such a grandiose portrayal of the Lion seen in the movie Lion King is common in many cultures in which the mighty beast has presented itself. Yet this image is especially pertinent to representing the Lion as Phillips Exeter Academy’s mascot, adhering to the bravery, courage, and wisdom that students of the Academy strive for. Unfortunately, we do not witness the Lion’s representation much besides the display of the Lion in school merchandise and the references to our mascot in the naming of Lionlinks and the Lioncard. [Insert a transition sentence stating why this is an issue and why it needs remedy] Perhaps tying the Academy’s mascot to on-campus events would increase the already-terrific school pride and lift community morale.
One possibility is a greater representation of the Lion in athletic events. Few things lift hopes and augment enthusiasm amongst players and the audience better than the sight of a life-sized mascot cheering the team on. We Exonians often say we fight for “Big Red,” but what is Big Red? Big Red is an abstract entity of an unclear essense; on the other hand, the Lion is a tangible, visible being who we may express affinity and emotional involvement to . The Lion may not only be useful when present in sports games, but in other school-wide activities as well. For instance, the presence of the Lion in informal school dances, weekend ice-skating, or game nights may add a piece of fun to such events and even entice Exonians to attend. Perhaps the Lion may even show up to clubs once in a while. Of course, the mere presence of the Lion may serve as a distraction in an assembly, contradicting the interests of the community. Yet, seeing the mascot closer to our daily lives may be a positive change to the campus environment. Something as simple as the Lion’s presence may boost school pride and bring a sense of camaraderie of being a Lion fighting for our den and a greater respect to the Lion promoting the values of our institution as its mascot.