August 5, 2026

Memorial High School’s Valedictorian Stole The Mascot Costume… For College

Memorial High School’s Valedictorian Stole The Mascot Costume… For College

In what admissions officers are calling “a bold extracurricular choice,” Memorial High School’s valedictorian Aisha Khan submitted her Yale application wearing the school’s missing Marty the Moose mascot head. Security footage confirms she’s been quietly wearing it to class since October, with teachers only realizing something was amiss when her AP exams featured hoof prints instead of handwriting.

“It was about demonstrating commitment,” explained Khan through the moose head’s mesh eyes during her valedictory speech, which she delivered in character. “When Yale asked for leadership examples, I showed them footage of me leading the freshman class in moose calls during fire drills.” The costume’s disappearance had been blamed on rival schools until Khan’s acceptance letter arrived with a handwritten note: “We appreciate unconventional thinkers. Please do not bring the moose to campus.”

The incident has sparked controversy, with underclassmen now planning increasingly elaborate application stunts. One sophomore was recently caught trying to submit a Common App essay written entirely in cafeteria pizza grease, while another replaced all recommendation letters with Yelp reviews from teachers. Memorial’s guidance department has since issued new rules: “No live animals in application videos” and “Mascot theft counts as community service hours.”

Annabelle Bransford

Hi, I’m Annabelle Bransford, Memorial High School’s unofficial satirist-in-residence and proud founder of The Daily Detention—a publication so edgy it’s been banned twice and resurrected three times, like a sassy phoenix with a flair for detention slips. I write satire because someone has to hold the line between cafeteria chaos and gym class tyranny. Whether I’m exposing the secret emotional feud between our Algebra teacher and Euclid, or investigating why the pep rally feels like an ancient ritual sacrifice, I try to speak truth to hallway power. Sure, I’ve been called “disruptive,” but mostly by people who wear lanyards unironically. My work has been read by at least two janitors, my entire AP English class, and one substitute teacher who thought it was a cry for help. I consider that range. When I’m not sharpening my wit, I’m dodging group projects, winning banned book club trivia, or mentoring the school's AI Isn’t Funny Club (membership: just me and 17 bots I’ve emotionally manipulated). I’m also a National Merit Semi-Finalist, certified eye-roller at Student Government meetings, and the only girl in school who’s been accused of “weaponizing irony.” My goals? Keep writing, keep laughing, and one day publish a satirical exposé called Yearbook Superlatives and Other Lies. If you want something sugarcoated, try the bake sale. If you want the truth with a punchline, I’m your girl. I've landed a sweet job at Bohiney Magazine, so don't bother me. EMAIL: annabelle@bohiney.com

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