07 Nov 2022 Guy-Perkins honors mascot creator

During last Friday’s basketball game, Guy-Perkins’ class of 1958 honored Billy Henry who designed the first version of the district’s Thunderbird mascot 64 years ago.

Superintendent Joe Fisher and High School Principal Tim Barnes took part in the ceremony, along with Mr. Henry and his wife, Connie, and Dorothy Stevenson who represented the class of ’58.

They shared the following information with the large crowd at the Thunderbird gym:

“Back in 1958, Guy-Perkins High School Senior Class members decided to publish a yearbook. There had only been one yearbook published prior to this, back in the 1940s.

“The 15 senior class members worked very hard taking pictures, selling ads and compiling all the necessary pieces for a yearbook.  The only thing lacking was a school mascot. A senior student, Billy Henry, was always doodling and drawing and had created a drawing of a Thunderbird. No one in the class knew what it was, but they knew they liked it! The class motto was ‘Dare to be Different!’

“The student body had a contest for students to vote on the new mascot and the Thunderbird mascot won. It has remained the district’s logo for 64 years.”