For the past four years, Legacy students have been stereotyped in different ways. Whether we were viewed as hicks because of the way we dress or known as the spoiled kids with a new school, we constantly had a label. Now, students from other schools in the district as well as our own students have changed their views on how they see us.

Multiple Legacy students have noticed that spirit has risen since the school has been opened. Others believe that under any circumstances, Legacy will always be know as the redneck school because we are built on the Kowbell Rodeo Arena.

Katy Griffith, 11, wears her cowboy boots and jeans everyday to school and could be considered the stereotypical “hick.”  However, Griffith feels that although there are more rednecks here compared to other schools, that some people are simply tying to fit into the label. Griffith also personally knows students at Mansfield High School who dress the same way she does, yet they are not classified as hicks.

“I don’t want to go anywhere else,” Griffith said. “We hold higher standards for ourselves, and I feel like we’re higher upon the ladder.”

Cheerleader senior Blake Wiley has supported the Broncos since day one and believes over the four years the school spirit has risen. Wiley has been on the varsity cheer team for two years and enjoys seeing students dressed up and supporting the football team on the spirit days. Especially when classmates paint their bodies and go ‘full out’ flaunting their spirited t-shirts.

“The students are more into spirit now,” Wiley said. “They’re more competitive, and we’re doing good for a four year school.”

Junior Elizabeth Kobty believes Legacy students have the best school spirit becasue students who attend school here want to be here and consequently have more intense spirit compared to the other high schools.

“We’re the newest school, and we came together from the other high schools,” Kobty said. “Everyone wants to be us because we’re new and different.”

Sophomore Hannah Wright admits she sees how Legacy could be considered the so called redneck school because of all the farmer’s tans and camouflage she sees daily. She also believes that we will always be known as the new school.

“People are putting a stereotype with us,” Wright said. “There’s a lot of different styles here.”

Summit student junior Ashley Cottrell admits that Legacy students have more school spirit compared to people at her school but feels Summit’s campus has more diversity.

“[Legacy]  has so much more school spirit than Summit,” Cottrell said. “When I walk down the hallways at Summit barely anyone is dressed up. But I’ve heard that at Legacy virtually everyone dresses up on the spirit days.”

Summit junior Antoinette Bennett believes in the stereotype of all Legacy students acting and dressing like hicks, but she compliments on the size difference compared to Summit.

“Legacy is like three times the size of Summit,” Bennett said.

From the eyes of Legacy students the Mansfield Tigers are our biggest competition. In comparison, Mansfield students do not see Legacy as big of a threat. After moving, junior Cheyanne Childress transferred from Mansfield the third week of school.

“I like it here better. It’s different,” Childress said.

Some Mansfield students have positive views on our coaches, teachers and students. Cross Country runners senior Shayla Uplegger and junior Megan Wohltjen have an optimistic view of Coach Lacey Beckler.

“We love their Cross Country coach because she cheers for everyone and is very supportive of our team,” Wohltjen said.

Others, like junior Michelle Rakaba says that Legacy students are lucky because they attend a newer school and have ‘cooler’ resources, including mounted flat screen televisions in all of the classrooms. Rakaba also sees a variety of ethnicities at Legacy, not just a majority of one race. Lastly, Rakaba views the four all purpose fields behind the school as a waste of space, compared to Mansfield’s one all purpose field and three football fields.

“When I think of Legacy I think of the color red,” Rakaba said. “It’s a newer and fancier school in a weird area of Mansfield.”

Junior Chloe Terrell reveals that most Mansfield kids view Legacy students as hicks, but admits that she does not know why since she knows people who go to here that do not dress that way. She has also heard from friends that transferred from Mansfield to Legacy that they like Legacy better.

“When I hear about Legacy I think of a huge school,” Terrell said. “It seems like a good school because it is probably less crowded than Mansfield.”

When Timberview students were asked about their views on Legacy they responded with the least encouraging feedback. Most responses were negative. Timberview students possibly view Legacy this way because they have been in the same 4-A, and now 5-A, district since our opening, allowing them to have stronger opinions since they have had more competition with us compared to the other high schools.

However, students such as freshman Alyssa Ray, think of Legacy more in the location and size of the school rather than the students.

“When I think of Legacy I think of the biggest school in Mansfield and how lucky they are to have What-a-burger right there,” Ray said.

Unlike some fellow students, Timberview junior Presley Gehrig has a positive outlook on Legacy and acknowledges the quality of the sport teams.

“They have a beast baseball team and they are good competition for Timberview in soccer,” Gehrig said.

Junior Rachel Pittman transferred from Summit High School to Frontier this past year. Pittman sees Legacy as a school that has newer materials and resources for its students. However, she feels the two schools are on the same level because they are both the relatively newer schools in the district.

“It seems like Legacy has good spirit,” Pittman said. “It looks lie a lot of the students get involved in the activities that are at Legacy.”

Ben Barber teacher Melanie Stillings has a variety of students from each of the four high schools in her classes. Although students from all MISD schools show school spirit, Stillings believes Legacy and Mansfield High School students are most noticeable on dress up days. Stillings also sees school spirit and a sense of camaraderie from a staff perspective. She feels as if the staff members are happy where they work.

“The spirit is amazing, it amazes me,” Stillings said. “The students are so passionate.”