Unusual Nicknames: Emerald High School Aerouants

As a former member of the coaching staff at Emerald High School in Dublin, California, this was a common question from student- athletes and staff members from opposing teams.

Emerald High School is a new public school located in the Bay Area. The school originally intended to adopt “The Serpents” as its mascot, but when the name was announced, the incoming inaugural class and school community members expressed concerns about the negative associations with “serpents” in various contexts. The inaugural principal worked with students to develop alternative names and mascots. Through collaboration and research, students came up with “The Aerouants.” They are referred to as Aeros for short in cheers and around campus.

But what is an Aerouant?

An Aerouant is a Celtic word for “dragon.” Given the community’s Irish heritage and a growing population that reflects the diversity of the Bay Area, the Emerald Aerouant honors the community’s history while incorporating the dragon and serpent-like graphic design and figure chosen by the student body; it is associated with characteristics such as intelligence and pride. More importantly, the adoption of the Aero as Emerald’s mascot honors student voice, responsiveness to feedback, and the idea that every school community has its own unique identity.

The first class of Aerouants will graduate in June of 2027 and leave behind a bit of school history for future Aeros.

Dr. Monique Paris Anderson is a special education teacher and girls head varsity tennis coach at Freedom High School in Oakley, California. She is a member of the High School Today Publications Committee. She can be reached at dr.mparisanderson@gmail.com.