SIDNEY, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Sidney students announced their new nickname in a school-spirited unveiling on Tuesday.

After a long process, heavily focused on student input, the Sidney Central School District officially revealed that their nickname will be the Sabers moving forward.

During the district’s monthly Board of Education meeting, a group of students unrolled string backpacks to show the new nickname to those in attendance. The name was selected by the student body out of three finalists. Other contenders included the Lions and the Rough Riders.

This decision stems from a New York State Supreme Court ruling in June 2022 that prohibited public school districts from utilizing nicknames and mascots connected to Native Americans. Sidney, previously known as the Warriors, was one of around 60 school across the state using an indigenous nickname.

The district says the process of selecting a new name consisted of meetings between community and student stakeholder groups to come up with a list of appropriate nicknames while discussing what Sidney embodies. An initial survey was later conducted within the community to determine the finalists.

The final vote was conducted by Sidney students in grades K-12. Of 827 total votes, nearly 50% of students chose the Sabers. The Lions came in second place with almost 31% of the vote, and the Rough Riders received 20%.

“I want to thank the members of all of our groups who worked hard to make sure Sidney’s new nickname was one that embodied all of the key characteristics they had originally identified,” Sidney Central School District Superintendent Eben Bullock said. “I’m very proud of our students who understood the magnitude of this process and strived to make sure our new nickname would be a lasting legacy for years to come.”