Sci Tech Comets, or else George Romaro High School Zombies -- you decide!

This fall saw the opening of a brand new school within the city, presently called, "Pittsburgh 6-12 Science and Technology Academy." Its short name is "Sci Tech." Presently, the program has kids in grades 9, 8, 7 and 6. Next year the 9th graders advance and the school grows. The location of the school is in Oakland at the school formerly called "Frick." Frick was the International Studies Middle School, grades 6, 7 and 8. Frick's program has been re-located with its principal to Reizenstein and merged of sorts with what remains of Schneley and it is the new I.B. High (name also pending) for grades 6 to 12.

Sci Tech in Oakland needs a new name. Now that the kids are in the building, the kids have a say. But, the Pgh Public School Board has to name the school, officially. There is a board policy that the schools can't be named after programs. This board policy was put into practice after the naming of CAPA (Creative and Performing Arts) High School, now 6-12 too. CAPA was to be the last theme named school, so the board said.

The board wants to name the Sci Tech School after someone, such as Salk, or Frick, or some other famous geek now gone from this world.

The students have talked and considered all the front runners. They all get a big thumbs down. Again and again, the consensus is to name the school what they signed up for -- its existing name, Sci Tech. The kids and community want the school's official name to be Pittsburgh 6-12 Science and Technology Academy. Simple. Straightforward. Shortened to Sci Tech.

Now the challenge is to convince the Pgh Public Schools board of nine members, all elected except one, to choose the recommendation from the kids and overcome their own policy.

Of further interest is the mascot. I wanted for some time the sports teams to embrace the nickname of "Zombies." Zombies have a rich tradition in Pittsburgh. Perhaps George Romaro could be used even as the patron saint of the school. Can you hear it in the deep voice, the booming Zombie Nation song in the background, the public address announcer saying, "Now introducing the Zombies starting line up of the Pittsburgh George Romaro High, ... at 5-foot-ten, starting point guard, ..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_A._Romero

Romero did attend CMU in Pittsburgh.

But there is more. The kids have picked a school mascot already. It isn't the Zombies, sadly. The nickname is "Comet" -- and Comet is the name of a digital dog.

Bram could get guest bloggers to offer up Comet treats.

Where do you stand? Should we stuff the Zombies down their throats, or else give the kids what they want, Sci Tech and the loyal dog friend, Comet?

I'm on the side of the slow, hard to kill, better with face paint, Zombies. Perhaps George Romero could either endow the school or else use it as the backdrop for a scene in the next flick.