The mission of athletics at Burlington High School is to foster a positive environment where academic and athletic integrity, responsibility, and excellence thrive. We value our student-athletes, coaches, and athletic staff members as learners, citizens, and competitors who demonstrate perseverance, dedication to team, good sportsmanship, and respect for all.
The mission of athletics at Burlington High School is to foster a positive environment where academic and athletic integrity, responsibility, and excellence thrive. We value our student-athletes, coaches, and athletic staff members as learners, citizens, and competitors who demonstrate perseverance, dedication to team, good sportsmanship, and respect for all.
Our commitment to the personal development and well-being of our student-athletes is grounded in these “values:”
- We believe high school athletics should be fun and rewarding.
- We believe the dignity, worth, and self-esteem of participants should be paramount.
- We believe a strong and positive athletic program complements and supports all students performing at high academic levels.
- We believe the most important result of competition is the development of life-long values and skills.
- We believe all participants can learn the benefits of self-discipline, personal responsibility, the setting of high standards, leadership, and the joy of achievement through athletics.
- We believe winning is an attitude resulting from optimum preparation, concentrated effort, and a commitment to excel.
- We believe positive morale, satisfaction, and performance are enhanced with athletes work together as a team.
- We believe athletics provide integral experiences for students from diverse backgrounds and cultures to learn with and from each other.
- We believe in the multi-sport athlete.
- We believe that there should be various levels of competition available to students so that players of varying abilities can access the benefits of athletics.
- We believe well-qualified coaches and program administrators are important components in a successful athletic program.
- We believe open communication and mutual respect among athletes, coaches, and parents provide the foundation for positive athletic experiences.
The Seahorse Mascot
Why the Seahorses? This question is frequently posed as to why our mascot is the “seahorse.” The story goes that fossils of seahorses were found when the site of the former Burlington High School, now Edmunds Elementary / Middle Schools, was excavated in the late 1800’s. The fossils possibly dated back to over 12,000 years ago when glaciers began to melt in the region and what is now Lake Champlain was saltwater. According to the Lake Champlain Committee: “As the ice began to melt, the slowly retreating glaciers to the north limited the flow of the melt water forcing drainage to the south through the present day Hudson River. Debris dams forced the water to pool in a huge lake – Lake Vermont. At its height, Lake Vermont had a surface elevation around 500 feet higher than Lake Champlain’s current level! When the glacier receded north of the St. Lawrence Valley, the landmass it had covered was below sea level as a result of the huge weight of the ice. Ocean waters flowed in from the Atlantic forming the Champlain Sea. Saltwater animals such as the famous Charlotte whale frolicked in the region at that time. Subsequent rebounding of the land raised the lake elevation above sea level. Gradually saltwater flushed out and was replaced by fresh water from tributaries.” Burlington High School is proud to have the unique distinction of having “the Seahorse” as our school mascot!
