MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake High School's bold and fierce-looking new mascot statue was welcomed with cheers and confetti during an unveiling on Monday. The 700-pound aluminum bull was revealed in front of a crowd of students and staff during school hours on campus. The sculpture replaces the arrow and dream catcher that had been a fixture in front of the school for years. The district says the former scholastic symbol will be put into storage and remain there until a meaningful future for it is found. Forged in Mexico, the new bovine sculpture symbolizes "Mavericks, an unbranded steer or independent-minded person, is fitting to the Moses Lake-Columbia Basin area," the district wrote in an email. "The community of MLHS is geographically independent due to our current location isolated from the rest of our league opponents. Moses Lake School District strives to lead and innovate across the board in the areas of academics, athletics, and activities." 'Mavericks' is the successor of longtime mascot name of 'Chiefs' that had represented Moses Lake High School and Moses Lake Middle School for decades. The high school's inaugural year of having 'Mavericks' as its mascot was 2022 after a new law mandated schools to rid themselves of usage of Native American mascots unless approved by local tribes.