Come next fall, Duval County students will no longer be cheering on the Forrest High Rebels but the Westside Wolverines.The school voted to change the mascot Tuesday, according to Duval Schools Superintendent Nikolai Vitti.
The high school’s original namesake Nathan Bedford Forrest was a Confederate General and leader of the early Ku Klux Klan.
School board members voted in December to change the long-held name.
The school’s new name takes effect this July.
Now that a new name for the school and its mascot have been determined, Vitti said district officials will have a better picture of just how much it all will cost.
Facilities Staff Chief Operating Officer Paul Soares is expected to be at the school later this week to assess what that new figure will be.
Last week, school board members agreed to accept private donations for the effort.
Among those who have come forward so far is local signage company Farm Out Design Services. The company has offered to provide marquee services at no cost.
Beyond that, Vitti said last week that no other donations are concrete.
You can follow Rhema Thompson on Twitter @RhemaThompson.
