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Evanston Township High School is the only high school in the U.S. to claim a Wildkit as its mascot. Known as “Willie the Wildkit”, our mascot is full of orange and blue pride and represents the unique heritage of ETHS, the only public high school in Evanston, Illinois. Willie the Wildkit is a spirit leader and goodwill ambassador for the high school and is an active participant in athletic, school and community events.
What is a Wildkit?
The Wildkit is the symbol that unifies the larger ETHS family of students, staff, parents, community members, and alumni, no matter where they are in the world. The one-of-a-kind Wildkit is charismatic and represents a legacy of strength, pride, tradition, determination and perseverance. Wildkits are fierce, courageous, bright, curious, sometimes silly, and always stand out in a crowd, just like our students and alumni. When Wildkits leave the halls of ETHS, they are empowered with the education and life skills to build a vision of success for their life journeys.
History of the Wildkit Mascot
The Wildkit is often considered the “younger sibling” of Northwestern University’s Willie the Wildcat, a mascot that was adopted by the prestigious university in the 1920s. Evanston Township High School’s Willie the Wildkit mascot appears to have originated during the 1946-47 academic year. As siblings, the ‘Kits and ‘Cats share a town-gown pride that is evident through partnerships in the classroom and beyond.The Wildkit mascot has been the embodiment of school spirit at ETHS for more than 70 years. Over the decades, Willie the Wildkit has taken on many likenesses. In the spring of 2015 ETHS unveiled a refreshed Wildkit logo that captures the essence of our beloved mascot’s legacy while emphasizing the spirit of innovation and forward thinking that make Evanston Township High School an incredible learning community.
