Though the Aztec Empire was conquered by the Spanish in 1521, its legacy lives on at Alta Vista High School  — the “Home of the Aztecs.” The school’s Aztec mascot is a symbol of togetherness, uniting the majority Hispanic student body under a shared cultural identity.

The Aztec Empire ruled central Mexico between the 14th and 16th centuries. Regarded for their warrior spirit, they were feared and respected throughout the pre-Columbian Americas.

Using the Aztecs as a mascot might seem controversial — some criticize the name as demeaning to Indigenous people by turning the Aztec culture into a caricature. Common stereotypes include the idea that the Aztecs were savages, originating from cultural practices such as cannibalism and human sacrifices.

These harmful stereotypes led former AVHS principal Bill Pierce to consider a possible name change for the school six years ago. He worried the Aztec name minimized the student body of AVHS. To decide whether to keep the name or not, Pierce enlisted the help of students through a school-wide assembly.

“I spoke with the superintendent and cabinet at the time, and it was suggested that I leave it up to the student body to decide on a possible name change,” Pierce said. “In a school-wide assembly, I discussed the history of the name, and the growing sensitivity to using indigenous names as mascots.”

Pierce recalled that students were surprised to learn that an Aztec could be offensive. Most believed the name was one of cultural pride, not one of controversy. In an almost unanimous vote, they came to a conclusion: there wouldn’t be an Alta Vista High School without the Aztecs.

“Since the AVHS student body was historically around 75 to 80 percent Hispanic, I think the students thought it was odd to even bring it up,” Pierce said. “Immediately, they voted to retain the Aztec name.”

“We had honest conversations with staff about the name, and thanks to our leadership, we received good reactions,” current AVHS principal Suzanne Woolfolk said.

AVHS values the student voice and student involvement has always been an integral part of the school. The shared values of the Aztecs among the AVHS student body have led students to make it a priority to include the Aztec name.

“We put Aztec on our sweatshirts, the service T-shirts that we create in our serenity garden, and we also use the name for our Aztec lounge and Aztec boutique,” Woolfolk said. “The naming of the lounge and boutique were voted on by students a year ago. That’s how they want to identify those spaces.” 

“When I was at AVHS, we had Aztec Achievement Awards every week to honor students who showed a lot of improvement,” MVHS senior and former AVHS student Victor Martinez Sanchez said. “Even if it’s not the biggest award, they put so much effort in even the smallest of things.”

Stereotypes surround alternative schools just like they do the Aztecs. Some claim that alternative schools are for delinquents and that students who attend alternative schools are less intelligent than those who attend traditional schools. This claim, however, is outdated. 82 percent of California students who enroll in alternative schools successfully graduate or transfer back to traditional high schools.

What makes Alta Vista “The Home of the Aztecs” isn’t the name alone — it’s the community. Similar to the Aztec warriors of long ago, students are connected under a shared goal: to be brave. Even with the misconceptions and stigmas surrounding alternative schools, the Aztec symbol represents students’ hope to keep moving forward.

“With Alta Vista, there’s such a close relationship with our students, staff, and community,” Woolfolk said. “A lot of students say they didn’t want to be here initially, but by day two or day three, they’ve already found a community. The Aztec mascot is one of many things that represent that. It’s what makes this school feel like a family.”

“The classes were around 10-15 people, so each teacher gave every student personalized attention,” Martinez Sanchez said. “It felt like a new beginning. Teachers want to motivate students and are always there to help them. Thanks to Alta Vista, I learned I can achieve so many things.”