The controversy and buzz created by Oak Harbor’s newest piece of public artwork took an unexpected turn last week when the Oak Harbor Public Schools formally embraced the “Fighting Kraken” as its new high school mascot.
Troubled with the former Wildcats nickname’s lack of a local connection to Whidbey Island, the high school student body pushed for a mascot change and presented the idea of the Fighting Kraken to the school board after the metal-and-copper sculpture was installed in Oak Harbor last month.
The artwork depicts the sort of giant Pacific Octopus that lurks in Puget Sound waters, only this one is swallowing a Nautilus submarine inspired by the Jules Verne classic, “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.”
Students from Oak Harbor and beyond have flocked to the sea creature to take selfies, setting in motion the idea of a new high school mascot more suitable to a marine and nautical environment.
“There are no wildcats on Whidbey Island,” said Steve Van den Vooglespacker, student body president. “But local fishermen have long recounted tales of the Giant Pacific Octopus underneath the Deception Pass Bridge.”
The school board approved the landmark motion last week, initiating immediate changes such as renaming the school’s television station to “Kraken TV,” and switching the name of the high school’s award-winning culinary arts program to “Kraken Katering.”
To beef up the image, “Fighting” was added to the nickname, but there were still some concerns from some administrators and others, including high school football coach Clay Werner.
“Don’t octopuses suck?” Werner said.
“Yes!” Van den Vooglespacker interjected. “But they also can squeeze the life out of you!”
Werner smiled.
He could see the headlines now: “Kraken crush the competition.”
“Don’t tangle with the Kraken.”
“Kraken wrap up another league title.”
Some Oak Harbor residents think the school district is simply kraken up.
“We don’t need a Fighting Kraken,” said Gilroy O’Strudle, who lives on Ireland Street.
A plumber by trade, O’Strudle inadvertently revealed why the nickname might lack merit when he stooped to pick up a “Say no to Kraken” sign he brought to protest last week’s school board meeting.
A painful period of five, maybe six seconds transpired before Superintendent Lance Gibbon had seen enough and asked the board to reconsider.
APRIL FOOLS!
