Leavenworth High School is the home of the Pioneers. And the school may someday be the home of an eight-foot Pioneer Statue.
Members of the Leavenworth High School Alumni Association are trying to raise $60,000 to erect a bronze statue depicting the school mascot, according to Carol Ayres.
Ayres is coordinator of the Leavenworth Public Schools Education Foundation, and the Alumni Association is a branch of the foundation. She also serves on the Leavenworth Pioneer Statue Committee.
Ayres said members of the Alumni Association felt this is an appropriate time to start a campaign for such a statue because of the construction of the new Pioneer Stadium as well as renovations at the high school.
Plans call for the statue to be unveiled in the fall of 2011.
The statue will be located on the corner of 10th Avenue and Marion Street.
“We wanted it to be seen by the community, enjoyed by the community,” Ayres said.
In addition to serving as the school mascot, the image of a pioneer is indicative of the city’s history, she said.
Local artist Michael Young already has made an 18-inch model to demonstrate what the statue depicting a pioneer man would look like.
Ayres said the Alumni Association will be targeting members of classes that have graduated from the high school for donations.
The association will have an official kickoff for its fundraising effort at the first home varsity football game Sept. 10.
