If you have driven by the SSISD central office on Wallace Street you have noticed a new addition to the site. On the corner of 9th and Wallace Street a ferocious Armadillo is poised ready to pounce on unsuspecting rivals….no, really it is Rusty the Armadillo and he has come to reside with San Saba ISD as long as he would like to do so. Owners, Stephanie and Jody Huff, have graciously lent Rusty the Armadillo to San Saba ISD to mark the entrance of the school district. We selected the corner of Wallace and 9th street as the location for Rusty, because it signaled the location of the central administration office and is in a prominent place for him to be viewed and admired by the community. Rusty has a unique history and has traveled a great deal. He was on display for many years in Ruidoso, New Mexico as part of an art exhibit and he has been featured at a concert with Jerry Jeff Walker. San Saba ISD is very unique in regard to school mascots. Most people are aware that we are the only high school in the nation with the Armadillo as a mascot. San Angelo Standard Times columnist, Mike Lee recently published an article on October 25, 2012 San Angelo Standard Times about the uniqueness of San Saba’s mascot. Lee states, “the San Saba Armadillos are in a category by themselves. The idea and image of the Armadillo have become iconic in Texas. The Armadillo is the official state mascot by executive decree, complete with its own postage stamp. During the 1970s, Neiman Marcus, the Dallas-based luxury department store, even offered a line of Armadillo-banded products.” Lee goes on to say, “The popularity of the Armadillo in Texas pop culture begs the question: Why is San Saba the only high school in the state to adopt the Armadillo as its mascot? Especially with 148 new UIL football-playing high schools opening in Texas since 1996.” According to Coach Pannell, “It’s unique and we love it,” the coach said. “If somebody says they’re going to play the Bulldogs tonight, they could be talking about 100 different teams. But if they say they’re going to play the Armadillos, everybody knows who they’re going to play.”We appreciate the Huff Family trusting San Saba ISD with Rusty, the Armadillo! I can’t imagine anywhere else he would feel at home unless it would be at Rogan Field. Parents, let us know how we can help you the first day of school all the way until the last day of school!! Please check the website at www.san-saba.net for school information and follow us on Facebook, too! If you have any question about this article or any other question about school happenings please contact me at 325/372-3771 or email me at lglaze@san-saba.net.