Posted at: 03/04/2013 7:02 PM
By: Katie Eldred
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Email to a FriendAre the Blossoms the Most Awesome?
(ABC 6 NEWS) -- It's a subject that generates a lot of school pride in Blooming Prairie, their mascot. Now the Awesome Blossom is gaining some national attention.
The Awesome Blossom is one of more than 200 schools in the running to be named the best high school mascot by USA Today. The voting stated Monday morning. Blooming Prairie has to beat out four other Minnesota mascots to continue on to the next round.
It's a subject that the students at Blooming Prairie often get made fun of for.
"They like to pick on us for it. like you're the Awesome Blossoms, that's so funny," said one Student.
But the students here don't care one bit.
“No, we’re better than them,” said one student,
No one hears those pokes a jeers more than Junior, Victor Peterson.
"We get a lot of questions, they'll be like what are you?"
Because by day he may be a student, but come game time...
"I'm the Awesome Blossom," said Peterson.
To Peterson the Awesome Blossom is no laughing matter.
"It's supposed to be a giant strong flower," said Peterson.
To Blooming Prairie it already is the best mascot, but they are now in the running to make that claim more official.
"USA Today contacted us and said they'd like some information to be in the running for best high school mascot," said athletic Director John Worke.
Worke says the school has received many calls of excitement from the community.
"They want us to continue to vote to get the kids to vote, and it's been a lot of fun, I think everybody is enjoying it," said Worke.
The blossom has been the school’s mascot since the early 1900's and since then it's come to mean much more to the town.
"People that are from here really take pride in it and they really take ownership in that, even the kids that leave are proud to be a blossom," said Worke.
While some may laugh at the idea of a fierce flower as the best mascot.
"They make sure to tell us were the awesome blossoms, but we like to be known as the awesome blossoms," said Peterson.
They are hopeful that if they win this competition the Awesome Blossoms will have the last laugh.
"It's one thing to be an Awesome Blossom, but it's another to get beat by one," said Worke.
Because in the end there really is only one word to describe their school mascot.
"Pretty Awesome," said a student.
The first round of voting ends Tuesday 3 p.m. The Winona Winhawks are just one of the other schools in the running.
If you would like to vote, click here.
