Pretty Girl: A Look Into Assets High School’s Unofficial Mascot

Feb 17 2023

Walking from class to class, students may spy a few cats as they frequent their favorite stomping grounds.

One such cat often makes their rounds at the tents at the bottom-most part of campus. Preying on unsuspecting lunch-goers, it seems that the best way to make friends is through food. The cat in question is Pretty Girl, a gray feline of graceful stature.

The Assets Journalism Team, consisting of Nicholas '23., Mason '26., and Lhaia '26, asked a few questions of one of the people who knows Pretty Girl best: Ms. Arcand.

The team asked her several questions, including what foods Pretty Girl likes to eat.

“She usually likes anything that is meat related,” said Ms. Arcand, who also noted how Pretty Girl enjoys eating the deli meats that come from the school lunch sandwiches*. She also talked about the cat food that Mr. Shelvey puts in front of his room, as well as the treats that Ms. Eugenio and Ms. Tan have with them.

Assets' unofficial mascot Pretty Girl. Photo by Mr. Wagner

The team also asked her how old Pretty Girl is.

“We know she is at least 14, she could be older,” said Ms. Arcand.

Ms. Arcand mentioned a mother and daughter pair who have been taking care of the cats on campus for a long time. “[The] daughter was here fourteen years ago when Pretty Girl was supposedly a small cat, but they don’t know if she was one or two, so she could be between fourteen and sixteen years old.”

Pretty Girl’s fans extend from outside the faculty to the student body as well. Ms. Arcand directed the team to three students who are especially close to Pretty Girl: Kennedy ‘26, Brianna ‘23, and Noe ‘25.

Brianna was asked if she feeds Pretty Girl and she was also asked about the things she liked about Pretty Girl.

“One time, she took a piece of food from my lunch,” said Brianna '23. The food that Pretty Girl had taken was a piece of kalbi.

When asked what her favorite thing about Pretty Girl was, Brianna '23 said, “Her fluffy tail.”

The team also interviewed Kennedy '26. The team asked such questions as “How and when did you first meet Pretty Girl?” and “How would you describe Pretty Girl?

Assets Journalism Team (AJT): “How and when did you first meet Pretty Girl?”

Kennedy '26: “Last year… when I came here for Move Up Day when I was in 8th grade.”

AJT: “How would you describe Pretty Girl?”

Kennedy '26: “She’s a very friendly, outgoing cat. She really likes food, which I understand because she’s so skinny, because she probably has some issue in her stomach so she doesn’t get enough food.”

The Assets Journalism Team also asked where Pretty Girl’s favorite spots are on campus.

“I would say the office would definitely be one. She likes to come here [Donaghho Tent] for when people eat there because they give her snacks,” said Kennedy '26

As one can see, Assets’ unofficial mascot is a popular campus figure! So, the next time you walk around campus, be on the lookout for a gray striped cat. And, don’t forget to say hi!

Drawing by Arlinda '26

After this article was written, Pretty Girl got sick and had a trip to the vet, who said that table food can be harmful to her health. Please do not feed Pretty Girl people food.

In This Section

Pretty Girl: A Look Into Assets High School’s Unofficial Mascot

KEEP READING...