CCSS

R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.7, W.3, SL.1, L.4, L.6

She Changed Her School Forever

All Lemiley Lane wanted was to fit in at her new school. Then she saw something that made her feel unwelcome. Would she stand up for herself—even if it meant standing out? 

Rick Bowmer/AP Images 

Taking a Stand
This photo shows Lemiley in front of her school and its old logo. Thanks to her, Bountiful High now has a new mascot: the Redhawk. (see below)

The new mascot! 

    Anybody who’s ever been the new kid at school knows it’s not easy. You wonder: Will people be nice? Will I fit in? Will I make friends? I was asking myself all those questions when I moved from Arizona to Bountiful, Utah, as a high school sophomore. 

    I’m Navajo, and in Arizona there were always other Native American people in my community. Here, it was different. I was the only Native kid at my new school. 

    In the third week of the school year, I went to my first pep assembly. These assemblies are meant to pump up sports teams before big games. As someone who hoped to play softball, I was excited to cheer for the other athletes.

    I walked into the gym, feeling the school spirit. Then the mascot walked out.

    His name was the Brave Man—and my heart sank the moment I saw him.

    Being the new kid at school isn’t easy. You wonder: Will people be nice? Will I fit in? Will I make friends? I was asking myself all those questions when I moved from Arizona to Bountiful, Utah. I was a high school sophomore.  

    I’m Navajo, and in Arizona there were other Native American people in my community. Here, it was different. I was the only Native kid at my new school.

    Early in the school year, I went to my first pep assembly. These assemblies are meant to pump up sports teams before big games. I hoped to play softball, and I was excited to cheer for the other athletes.

    I walked into the gym, feeling the school spirit. Then the mascot walked out.

    His name was the Brave Man. When I saw him, my heart sank.


    Anybody who’s ever been the new kid at school knows how difficult it can be. You wonder whether people will be welcoming, whether you’ll fit in, and whether you’ll make friends. I was asking myself all those questions when I moved from Arizona to Bountiful, Utah, as a high school sophomore.  

    I’m Navajo, and in Arizona there were always other Native American people in my community. Here, it was different: I was the only Native student at my new school.

    In the third week of the school year, I attended my first pep assembly. These assemblies are meant to pump up sports teams before big games. As someone who hoped to play softball, I was excited to support the other athletes.

    I walked into the gym, feeling the school spirit—and then the mascot walked out.

    His name was the Brave Man, and my heart sank the moment I saw him.

Should Be Sacred

    The Brave Man was a White student dressed up like a stereotypical Native American man. His costume looked like it came from a Halloween store. On his head, he wore a feather headdress. He whooped and danced across the stage in a silly way.

    I stared at the mascot’s colorful plastic feathers. In Navajo culture, feathers are sacred. You earn each one—they’re not something you can just pick up and wear. I doubted that the student dressed as the Brave Man understood that.  

    My face got red as I squirmed in my seat. I already felt different from my peers. Now the thing that made me different was being disrespected. 

    Even worse, everyone was cheering. 

    I got up and ran out of the gym. For the rest of the assembly, I sat in an empty classroom. I couldn’t help but feel angry and hurt.

    The Brave Man was a White student dressed up like a stereotypical Native American man. His costume looked like it came from a Halloween store. On his head, he wore a feather headdress. He whooped and danced in a silly way.

    I stared at the mascot’s plastic feathers. In Navajo culture, feathers are sacred. You earn each one. They’re not something you can just pick up and wear. I doubted that the student dressed as the Brave Man knew that.  

    I squirmed in my seat. I already felt different from my peers. Now the thing that made me different was being disrespected.

    Even worse, everyone was cheering.

    I got up and ran out of the gym. For the rest of the assembly, I sat in an empty classroom. I felt angry and hurt.

    The Brave Man was a White student dressed up like a stereotypical Native American man. His costume looked like it came from a Halloween store. He wore a feather headdress on his head, and he whooped and danced across the stage in a comical way.

    I stared at the mascot’s colorful plastic feathers. In Navajo culture, feathers are sacred. You earn each one—they’re not something you can just pick up and wear. I doubted that the student dressed as the Brave Man understood that.  

    My face got red as I squirmed in my seat. I already felt different from my peers—and now the thing that made me different was being disrespected.

    Even worse, everyone was cheering.

    I got up and ran out of the gym. For the rest of the assembly, I sat in an empty classroom, feeling angry and hurt.

Courtesy of Family (All Images)

1. The Lane siblings pose for a family photo.
2. Lemiley shows off her softball uniform.

All About Appropriation

    When I got home that night, I told my mom about the mascot. I knew exactly what I had seen at the assembly. It was cultural appropriation. 

    Every culture has music, art, food, clothing, and traditions that make it special. Cultural appropriation is when someone from another culture uses one of those things without understanding its history or importance. 

    My mom and I talked about what to do. At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to do anything at all. I was the new kid, and I didn’t want to stand out. 

    But my stomach hurt every time I saw the mascot. It was painted on the sidewalks outside the school. It was on posters and sports uniforms. I couldn’t escape it. 

    I knew I had to stand up for my culture—even if it meant standing out.

    That night, I told my mom about the mascot. I knew exactly what I had seen at the assembly. It was cultural appropriation.

    Every culture has music, art, food, clothing, and traditions that make it special. Cultural appropriation is when someone from another culture uses one of those things without understanding its history or meaning.

    My mom and I talked about what to do. At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to do anything. I was the new kid. I didn’t want to stand out.

    But my stomach hurt every time I saw the mascot. It was painted on the sidewalks outside the school. It was on posters and sports uniforms. I couldn’t escape it.

    I knew I had to stand up for my culture—even if it meant standing out.

    When I got home that night, I told my mother about the mascot. I knew exactly what I had seen at the assembly: cultural appropriation.

    Every culture has music, art, food, clothing, and traditions that make it special. Cultural appropriation is when someone from another culture uses one of those things without understanding its history or importance.

    My mom and I discussed how I should handle the situation. As the new kid, I was a bit reluctant to do anything that would attract attention.

    But I got a stomachache every time I caught sight of the mascot, and it was everywhere: on posters, on sports uniforms, and painted on the sidewalks outside the school. I couldn’t escape it.

    I knew I had to stand up for my culture—even if it meant standing out.

Taking Action

    It turned out that I wasn’t the only person who was upset. Some people who had graduated from my school were speaking out online. I introduced myself, and together we started a petition to change the mascot. The petition got our principal’s attention. He planned meetings to talk about what should be done.

    At one of those meetings, I had the chance to stand up in front of the school board to make my case. I was very nervous—I don’t like speaking in public. But I knew I was doing the right thing.

    I wore traditional clothing and jewelry made by my grandparents. That made me feel strong. I gave my speech, and people seemed to listen.

    It turned out that I wasn’t the only person who was upset. Some people who had graduated from my school were speaking out online. Together we started a petition to change the mascot. The petition got our principal’s attention. He planned meetings to talk about what should be done.

        At one of the meetings, I stood up in front of the school board to make my case. Speaking in public makes me nervous. But I knew I was doing the right thing.

I wore traditional clothing and jewelry made by my grandparents. That made me feel strong.

    Before long, I discovered that I wasn’t the only person who was offended by the mascot. Some people who had graduated from my school were speaking out online. I introduced myself, and together we started a petition to change the mascot. The petition got our principal’s attention, and he planned meetings to discuss the issue.

    At one of those meetings, I had the opportunity to stand up in front of the school board to make my case. I was nervous because I’m not comfortable speaking in public, but I felt certain that I was doing the right thing.

    I wore traditional clothing and jewelry made by my grandparents, and those items helped me feel strong and confident as I gave my speech.

The Redhawks

Courtesy of Family

Using Their Voices  
Lemiley (left) and her sister protest the mascot at a rally.

    A few months later, my mom came to visit me at work. She couldn’t wait to give me the good news. My principal had just announced that the mascot would be changed! I was so happy that I cried.  

    The school had students vote on a new mascot. Starting this year, Bountiful’s mascot is a red-tailed hawk. I’ll be part of the first class to graduate as Redhawks, not Braves. I feel so proud that I helped make this change happen. 

    A few months later, my mom came to see me at work. She couldn’t wait to give me the news. My principal had announced that the mascot would be changed! I was so happy that I cried.  

    Students voted on a new mascot. Starting this year, Bountiful’s mascot is a red-tailed hawk. I’ll be part of the first class to graduate as Redhawks, not Braves. I feel proud that I helped make this change happen. 

    A few months later, my mom came to visit me at work and gave me wonderful news: My principal had just announced that the mascot would be changed! I was so happy that I cried.  

    The school had students vote on a new mascot—and starting this year, Bountiful’s mascot is a red-tailed hawk. I’ll be part of the first class to graduate as Redhawks rather than Braves. I feel incredibly proud of the role I played in creating this important change. 

ACTIVITY: 
Problem and Solution

You’ve just read “She Changed Her School Forever.” Now it’s time to do this activity.

You’ve just read “She Changed Her School Forever.” Now it’s time to do this activity.

You’ve just read “She Changed Her School Forever.” Now it’s time to do this activity.

What to do: This story is about a problem that Lemiley faced and how she solved it. Read the problem and the solution below. Then fill in the blanks with details from the story that help you understand the solution. 

What to do: This story is about a problem that Lemiley faced and how she solved it. Read the problem and the solution below. Then fill in the blanks with details from the story that help you understand the solution. 

What to do: This story is about a problem that Lemiley faced and how she solved it. Read the problem and the solution below. Then fill in the blanks with details from the story that help you understand the solution. 

The Problem
Lemiley’s school mascot, a stereotypical Native American man, made her feel uncomfortable and unwelcome.


The Solution
Lemiley spoke up about what was bothering her.

The Problem
Lemiley’s school mascot, a stereotypical Native American man, made her feel uncomfortable and unwelcome.


The Solution
Lemiley spoke up about what was bothering her.

The Problem
Lemiley’s school mascot, a stereotypical Native American man, made her feel uncomfortable and unwelcome.


The Solution
Lemiley spoke up about what was bothering her.

Detail 1: Lemiley went online and found graduates of her school who felt the same way she did. 

Answer: 


Detail 2: 

Hint: What did Lemiley and others do that got the school principal’s attention?


Detail 3: 

Hint: What did Lemiley explain to the school board?


Detail 4: 

Hint: What is the school’s mascot now?

Detail 1: Lemiley went online and found graduates of her school who felt the same way she did. 

Answer: 


Detail 2: 

Hint: What did Lemiley and others do that got the school principal’s attention?


Detail 3: 

Hint: What did Lemiley explain to the school board?


Detail 4: 

Hint: What is the school’s mascot now?

Detail 1: Lemiley went online and found graduates of her school who felt the same way she did. 

Answer: 


Detail 2: 

Hint: What did Lemiley and others do that got the school principal’s attention?


Detail 3: 

Hint: What did Lemiley explain to the school board?


Detail 4: 

Hint: What is the school’s mascot now?

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