The Boise mascot is a significant symbol for the city of Boise, Idaho. A mascot represents the enthusiasm and spirit of a community or organization. It serves as a visual representation and a source of identity and pride. In the case of Boise, the mascot is associated with the Boise State Broncos, the athletic teams of Boise State University. The mascot for the Broncos is a beloved character named Buster Bronco. Buster is a spirited and energetic horse who proudly dons the blue and orange colors of the university.

Boise High working on plan to replace "Braves" mascot

BOISE, Idaho — Boise High School is taking steps toward changing their Braves mascot to one they think is more in line with the schools values, and one less offensive to those of Native American descent.

Boise High Schools current mascot, the Braves, showcases a Native American themed caricature that the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, in a letter to the Idaho State Board of Education, say displays racial misappropriation. Now, they’re calling on the Boise School District to change it.

“Braves, the mascot for Boise High was instituted some 100 years ago, things have changed since then, and the world has changed,” said Dan Hollar, Spokesperson for the Boise School District, who said that is the reasoning behind Boise High School’s proposal to change their mascot from a caricature to a character trait.

“No longer referring to Boise High as the Braves, but as Brave,” said Hollar.

It’s only a one letter difference, but it’s a complete change in meaning for Idaho’s Native American tribes; in particular, the Shoshone-Bannock tribes, which wrote a position paper to the Idaho State Board of Education, requesting the mascots of eight Idaho schools be changed.

The schools they requested change their mascots are as follows:

Salmon Savages, Salmon, Idaho
Salmon River Savages, Riggins, Idaho
Teton High School Redskins, Driggs, Idaho
Pocatello High School Indians, Pocatello, Idaho
Shoshone Indians, Shoshone, Idaho
Preston Indians, Preston, Idaho
Buhl Indians, Buhl, Idaho
Boise High School Braves, Boise, Idaho

“If you put yourself in their shoes, and see the issue through their eyes, it’s disrespectful to them, the use of ‘Braves,’ it means something different to them,” said Hollar.

While the proposed name change is sparking controversy, with people worried the school is destroying history, Hollar said that isn’t the purpose, “We’re not rewriting history, if you graduated from Boise High as a Braves, you know, as a Boise High Brave, then you can always refer to yourself as the Braves," said Hollar, he also said, “Curriculums change over the years, and certainly the world has changed, and I think if we’re educating students to be better prepared to be global citizens, this is the right step."

The Boise School District tells us this is a change that is going to take a number of years in order to change sports uniforms and mascot logos throughout the school, but they say it’s a change they’re planning to make.

The final decision on the proposal will be made by the Boise School District board on August 12th.

Viewpoint: December 2021

At Boise High School, we are very proud of our reputation and traditions as an academic, civic-minded, and inclusive public high school. As the namesake high school for the capitol city of Idaho and with a rich history that predates statehood, Boise High and the Boise School District have often led efforts to strengthen the public education of Idaho’s children. Realizing that our example has influenced many educators throughout the state by thoughtful, fair, measured, and courageous leadership, we jumped at the chance to continue demonstrating such leadership when the opportunity presented itself two years ago. This opportunity came in the form of addressing the issue of our previous mascot: the Braves.

When laying the cornerstone of Boise High School’s current building in 1908, then mayor and future Governor Moses Alexander dedicated this school as “… a temple of liberty, where the children of the rich and the poor meet on the terms of equality in receiving the benefit of free public education.” We learn from yearbook accounts that until 1920, Boise High School commonly referred to its athletic teams as “the Red and White”—or simply as Boise High. By the early 1920’s, Boise High referred to its student athletes as Boise Braves. Since that time, there have been many iterations of that mascot’s image.

Changing Images

For several years we had been in the process of slowly moving away from Native American depictions and language that used the word “Braves” in representing Boise High’s mascot. In 2019, a group of students approached school administrators about the need to formalize these changes and officially retire the Braves. It is important to note that all of these students were representative of the diverse student body we proudly embrace in the Boise School District. This was a bit of an “aha” moment for our administrative team, as we realized that changing the mascot, while important to and for Native Americans, was also meaningful for all marginalized communities. It was clear that change needed to happen immediately, such that every individual would feel safe, welcome, and celebrated at our school.

In the spring of 2019, we began the formal process of educating ourselves, our stakeholders, and the student body and initiating change within our school and community. We had the opportunity to attend the Idaho Indian Education Summit, during which we learned a great deal about the history, culture, and origin of the first people of the Boise Valley. Through this experience, we were also able to connect with tribal leaders for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, who are a federally recognized sovereign nation and the ancestral relatives of Boise’s native people. We also learned that the tribes were preparing to send a letter to eight Idaho high schools, the Idaho State Department of Education, the governor, and the state legislature formally requesting that all schools with Native American mascots discontinue their use. Through our experience with Idaho Indian Education Summit, as well as our dialogue with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, our school and district came to the very clear conclusion that changing the mascot was absolutely the right thing to do.

When meeting with tribal representatives about how to go about the process, one thing was clear: If we did not approach this in the right manner, we would lose the opportunity for teaching and learning. We did not want this experience to divide our community and negate the opportunity to learn about and understand cultural appropriation and the importance of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes’ story.

Educating Stakeholders

We believed it to be critically important to educate our community that the Braves we believed we were honoring, as part of Boise’s past, did not feel honored. In fact, they felt disparaged, targeted, demoralized, and—in many ways—forgotten. While the Shoshone-Bannock peoples are an incredibly important part of the history of our city and state, they are also very much a part of our present. We were fortunate to forge a very good relationship with tribal members who even came to tour our school campus. They helped us understand how to preserve our own history as the Braves—not erase it.

With this clearer understanding, and with the support we needed to move forward, we took the resolution to the school board, which passed it unanimously after overwhelming testimony in favor of the change to “The Brave” which stands for:

Our logo and crest (see image) also took on different meaning. The color red represents strength. The columns represent wisdom; the shoe with wings represents our athletics and activities; the scales represent justice; the parchment represents academic achievement; the shield represents a defender; the color white represents temperance and purity; and our motto, “dedicati excellentiae” means courage.

In the days that followed, instead of Native American imagery and use of the word “Braves” filling the hallways, classrooms, and athletic fields of our historic school, a wider, more-inclusive ideal was naturally created with our new mascot.

“The Brave” reflects both the nature and intention of the response we both heard and felt from our students and community. We had successfully gathered as a cohesive group to promote acceptance of and active participation in the values inherent to our new name along with a more coherent purpose.

In addition, the Boise School District, with the intention of enhancing and building on this understanding, created a diverse committee of students, teachers, administrators, and community members to educate and foster a safe and inclusive school climate throughout the district. Through this experience, our students have expressed their appreciation for the change, as they feel valued, safe, and comfortable growing as individuals and as members of our community. At Boise High, we are committed to continuing to educate our students and our community and embracing every individual. A group of brave people, coming together, can indeed be called The Brave! We are proud of being The Brave of Boise High School.

Kelly Fossceco is the assistant principal of Boise High School in Boise, ID.

Buster is a spirited and energetic horse who proudly dons the blue and orange colors of the university. Buster Bronco is not just a symbol of the university but also of the city itself. The mascot is often seen at various events and activities in Boise, where it engages with the community, fans, and supporters.

Sidebar: Building Ranks TM Connections

Dimension: Equity

Strategy 2: Diagnosing inequitable practices or structures. You can actively scrutinize your school practices for any instances in which practices have a negative influence on certain groups of students. The diagnostic process could include using data and conversations to examine formal school policies, deliberate levels or tracts for student learning, access to resources, and staff biases.

Equity is part of the Building Culture domain of Building Ranks.

National Association of Secondary School Principals

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Boise State Broncos: Mascot - Modern Disc Mirrored Wall Sign

Buster's presence generates excitement and promotes a sense of unity and camaraderie among the people. The Boise State Broncos have a rich athletic history, particularly in football. They have gained national attention and success, making them a source of pride for the city. The presence of a spirited mascot like Buster Bronco adds to the overall experience of being a fan and creates a sense of belonging and pride. Moreover, the Boise mascot goes beyond sports. It represents the city's resilience, passion, and unwavering spirit. It embodies the values and characteristics that Boiseans hold dear, such as determination, community, and support. The Boise mascot serves as a rallying point for the community, bringing people together and creating a shared sense of identity. It ignites a sense of pride among residents, students, and alumni, reminding them of the city and university's successes and accomplishments. In conclusion, the Boise mascot represents more than just a sports team. It symbolizes the spirit and pride of the city and university. Buster Bronco's presence resonates with the community, fostering unity and creating a shared sense of identity among Boise residents..

Reviews for "From Game Day to Everyday: Boise Mascot Merchandise and Collectibles"

1. John - 1/5: I recently attended a Boise sports event and was absolutely baffled by the choice of mascot. The Boise mascot was honestly one of the most unappealing characters I have ever seen. It looked like someone threw together random elements like a potato, cowboy hat, and a sports jersey without any consideration for aesthetics or coherence. It was hard to take the mascot seriously, and I feel like it detracted from the overall experience of the event. I hope Boise considers redesigning their mascot to be more visually appealing and representative of their sports teams.

2. Sarah - 2/5: I have mixed feelings about the Boise mascot. While I appreciate the effort to create a unique character to rally behind, I found the execution to be quite underwhelming. The costume looked worn-out and poorly made, with visible seams and loose threads. Additionally, the mascot's movements seemed clumsy and uncoordinated. It was evident that the person inside the costume was struggling to bring the character to life. Overall, I think Boise should invest in a higher-quality mascot that can truly energize the crowd and add excitement to the games.

3. Larry - 1/5: I cannot express my disappointment with the Boise mascot enough. It felt like the organizers didn't even try to come up with something innovative or exciting. The mascot appeared generic and unimaginative, resembling countless other sports mascots across the country. It lacked any distinctive features that could set it apart and make it representative of the city or the team. I expected more creativity from Boise, and I hope they consider revamping their mascot to better reflect their unique identity and values.

Discovering the Iconic Mascot of Boise: The Journey