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Blasdell Student Honored for Dedication to Bee Mascot
Blasdell Student Honored for Dedication to Bee Mascot
While Frontier Central Schools is the home of the Falcons, at Blasdell Elementary, the students are more familiar with a different mascot. Out of concern that the Falcon would replace the Bee at Blasdell, one student decided to stick up for his beloved Bee.
Fifth grader Killian Zajac asked his teacher, Mrs. Strach, if he could distribute petitions to Blasdell third, fourth and fifth grade classrooms to support preserving the Bee. He received 108 signatures from his classmates.
Next in his plan was to get the attention of the person in charge. In a carefully worded email, Killian reached out to Superintendent of Schools, Christopher Swiatek.
“Ever since I was in kindergarten, I’ve loved being a Blasdell Bee,” his email read. “To me, Blasdell Falcons does not sound right, and a lot of my peers feel the same. … We all love our Beehives, becoming character bees and hanging out as Bees.”
For years, Blasdell Elementary has used the Bee as a theme to carry forward school initiatives to enhance academics and social-emotional learning. That focus has made a lasting impression on proud Blasdell Bees like Killian.
Luckily, Frontier does not have any plans to take the Bee out of Blasdell. Mr. Swiatek and assistant superintendents Colleen Duggan, Robert McDow and Myra Pinker visited Killian recently to present him with an official document declaring the Bee is here to stay for years to come.
“Killian is an excellent example of the student leaders at Blasdell Elementary and has a bright future ahead of him,” Mr. Swiatek said. “I can’t wait for him to grow and excel as a future Frontier Falcon.”
Killian was also presented with a certificate for his hard work and dedication.
Together, the two mascots represent the longstanding history of the Blasdell Bee and the optimistic future of Frontier fifth graders as they transition to the middle school next year, becoming Frontier Falcons.