into the high school. Controversy When Denver Public Schools named its four cardinal direction high schools (East, West, North and South), each took a mascot and imagery associated with that direction. For example, West High School took the Cowboy as its mascot. South High School took imagery from the Civil War, specifically from the Confederate States of America. This included taking the "Johnny Reb" head as its mascot, and using the Confederate Battle Flag and the song "Dixie". The use of the flag and song ended in 1970 when Denver Public Schools implemented desegregation busing as a means of racial integration. The imagery was incorporated into the name of the yearbook, The Johnny Reb, (changing it from The Tower Book) and school newspaper, The Confederate. These images and mascot began to cause controversy in 1970. By 1980, South's first African American principal, Harold Scott, suggested that the mascot be changed to the Penguin. He did not anticipate the attachment the student body had to the name "Rebel", nor the furor that ensued, and the suggestion was dropped. During the 2007–2008 school year the student body began to discuss changing the mascot. They eventually decided on a gargoyle with the school's famous clock tower in the background. On February 19, 2009, the students made a presentation to the Denver Public School board asking for the change, which was granted. In a compromise with school alumni, the name "Rebel" was kept. On October 23, 2020, South High School officially announced that they would be changing their mascot to the Raven, becoming the South High Ravens. Notable alumni Harold Agnew, American Physicist Janet Bonnema, first woman allowed to enter a tunnel project in Colorado Stan Brakhage, 1951, experimental filmmaker Verne Byers, 1937, musician and bandleader (known in high school as Vincent Beyer) Calais Campbell, 2004, football player, Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals Conor Casey, soccer player, Philadelphia Union Ken Charlton, 1959, All-American basketball player at University of Colorado Chuck Darling, member of 1956 Summer Olympics basketball gold medalists, First team All-American at University of Iowa Diana DeGette, U.S. Representative from Colorado's 1st district Patricia Elliott, 1956, actress and TV personality John L. Hall, 1952, Nobel laureate (Physics) Marilyn Hickey, evangelist Robert Higgins, 1950, zoologist, professor, scholar, marine life researcher, curator at Smithsonian Institution Michael Lavine, 1981, photographer Phillip Lindsay, 2013, American football player, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos Fred Meissner, world-renowned geoscientist, professor