The Bentonville School District has released the top vote-getters so far for the proposed name and mascot for the planned high school in Centerton.
The proposed names and mascots are close in votes, but Centerton High School and Bentonville West High School are leading the lengthy list, said Mary Ley, spokeswoman for the school district. Wolverines and Jaguars are the leading vote-getters for the school’s mascot, Ley said.
No name on the list of proposed school names or mascots has been ruled out so far, even if they are not among the current vote leaders. The list will eventually be trimmed to a few finalists.
Benton County High School is another popular name for the new school, while Thunderbolts and Mustangs are among the other leaders for the mascot name, Ley said.
Bentonville Alliance had been a potential school name heralded by administrators before the voting process began, because of implications it could unite the schools and the students coming from different backgrounds. That name, however, was not among the top vote-getters.
Ley said she believes School Board members will carefully weigh the decision on what to call the new school. Although attendance zones for the high school have not yet been decided, Ley said she expects about 64 percent of the students to come from the City of Bentonville, with the remaining 36 percent likely coming from Centerton.
Student leaders and school administrators looked over the proposed names this week. The voting process includes all eighth graders and Bentonville High freshmen, although the School Board will have the final say.
Construction of the second high school will start this summer on Gamble Road in Centerton. Officials said it is expected to open in time for the 2016-17 school year.
The following is a list of suggested school names and mascots submitted to the Bentonville School District:
SCHOOL NAMES
. Benton County Central High School
• Bentonville Alliance High School
• Bentonville Entente High School
• Bentonville Osage High School
• Bentonville Union High School
• Bentonville West High School
• Bentonville West Ridge High School
• Bentonville West Spring High School
• Bolte High School
• Bruce Jones High School
• Centennial High School
• Centerton High School
• Century High School
• Memorial High School
• Murry High School
• Peel High School
• Peel Patriot High School
• Rockefeller High School
• Sherman Kinyon High School
• William T. Dillard High School
MASCOTS
• Bengals
• Braves
• Bruins
• Centurions
• Chargers
• Colonial Sam
• Diamond Cutters
• Eagles
• Falcons
• Hawks
• Jaguars
• Land Hawks
• Lions
• Mavericks
• Mountain Lions
• Mustangs
• Panthers
• Rebels
• Rhinos
• Silver Cyclones
