The Canandaigua school district is nearing the end of the selection process for a new nickname for its athletic teams, with seven potential options reaching the semifinals.
An ongoing online survey, aimed at further narrowing down the list, is set to conclude at 3 p.m. today. The current list includes Canandaigua, Bears, Cardinals, Gray Wolves, Lake Hawks, Lakers, and Waves, each of which has received significant support.
This decision comes as part of a statewide mandate requiring schools with Native American nicknames to adopt non-Native American names by the end of the current academic year.
The Canandaigua teams were previously known as the Braves. Other districts in the process of changing their names include Red Jacket Indians and Romulus Warriors, while the Waterloo school district switched from Indians to Tigers in 2022.
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