Aliso Niguel High School has recently installed the new Wolverine Statue, a shining monument displaying the school’s, its staff’s and the students’ excellence.
This last Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2024, a large teal colored wolverine statue was mounted in the main walkway in front of the office. As students filed into Wolverine Way, they saw the amazing gift for the first time.
The statue was a surprise for many students. Melody Le (12) said that, “I didn’t notice it until recently.”
While the appearance of it was a shock to students, the gift had been planned out years in advance. Graduating classes: 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, all contributed to the funding of the statue as their senior gift. The statue and its placement had been in the works for a long time.
Due to the interruption of Covid-19 during the school year, plans had to be halted until last year.
Last year, the statue was completed, however, it lay abandoned in the conference room. Originally, the school planned on placing the wolverine on the elevated flat part of concrete in front of the flagpole, but this plan was stopped. Some teachers feared that delinquents may attempt to steal it, as it was in such an easily accessible state, by tying a rope around it and driving off with it.
An additional problem arose as the artists requested that for the piece to be complete, it must receive a pedestal to be properly supported. This conflict would prove to take an entire school year to resolve.
Despite the setbacks, the school finally elected to place it in the entrance to Wolverine Way, in both a protected and public area, to the excitement of the entire school.
Mridul Wadkwa (11) said, “It’s pretty amazing, What’s there not to like?”
The statue was placed out of reach on a metal pedestal. The district’s MNO department graciously paid for the mount, as it had to meet certain structural requirements. The MNO department inspects school campuses all over the district in order to make sure they are safe in the event of emergencies, such as earthquakes. It is paramount that the statue is properly secured to protect any students who may be around it if disaster does happen.
Even though continual problems kept surfacing over the statue, it finally came to fruition. But this is not the end for the improvements around campus. When asked about what happens next, Mrs Young said, “We still plan on adding more to it.”
Little do most students know, but a plan has been laid out for further class gifts. The class of 2024 is the next class to graduate, and their gift is planned to be a message plastered across the entrance in bold colors reading “WELCOME TO TEAL TOWN”.
There is a lot to look forward to even if students are leaving Aliso Niguel High School in pursuit of a higher education. Graduates can leave a lasting mark on their school, giving back to the place which gave them so many opportunities and memories.
Aliso Niguel High School’s new wolverine statue stands as a point of pride and legacy for Aliso’s students.
