New Providence High School is a very spirited school and consistently boasts a fully packed and boisterous student section at football and basketball games.

According to Athletic Director Mr. Carangelo, school spirit is a defining quality of NPHS. He said students “love to attend games and cheer each other on and to be part of…the Neer Nation.”

But for the past few years, the Pioneer sideline has been missing a key piece of pep: a student mascot.

Mascots are one of the most classic things when it comes to high school. They are needed for the extra bit of spice that they add to the school spirit.

Mr. Carangelo said it’s been “about six years or so” since the school has had an actual mascot attend school events, but agreed that “I think a mascot is another great tool to add excitement and spirit to an event.”

For a school as spirited as the New Providence High School, the lack of mascot is surprising. So why don’t we have one?

According to Mr. Carangelo it comes down to “a lack of expressed interest” and the unique requirements for the job.

In the past, the school has chosen an interested member of the cheer team to wear the Pioneer suit. They would practice with the cheer team and when it came to games, they would be in costume and totally separate from the cheer team.

This is part of the challenge that the school is currently facing: “I think what started to happen was, no one who came out for cheer wanted to be behind a mascot. They wanted to be with their teammates, like everyone else,” said Mr. Carangelo.

What New Providence High School needs is someone with the dedication and time to be the mascot. They have to want to come out to all the games, despite the fact that they may not be with their friends the whole time.

Mr. Carangelo hasn’t given up:  “If you’ve been looking for a way to get more involved at NPHS games and have a passion for our programs and school spirit, this is a fantastic opportunity!”

    Anyone interested in becoming the Pioneer, just reach out to Mr. Carangelo ([email protected]) or Coach Ralph ([email protected]).