Blue & Gold Legacy

our hearts bleed blue & gold

There’s a passion that runs deep in every member of the Shady Side Academy community—a pride that’s impossible to shake and unmistakably blue and gold. Every student, every alumnus, and every employee is united by our shared legacy—a bond built on grit, loyalty, and the shared pursuit of excellence. It’s in the way we cheer each other on, on and off the field. It’s in the way we push boundaries in classrooms and beyond. It’s in the way we celebrate every achievement, knowing we stand on the shoulders of generations who’ve come before us. It’s something you carry with you, forever.

Bleeding blue and gold means embracing Shady Side’s mission to think expansively, act ethically, and lead responsibly, and always moving forward, together. Whether you’re just beginning your Shady Side journey or decades removed from your time here, this is your family—and you are blue and gold, through and through. Because at Shady Side, our hearts don’t just beat for blue and gold. They bleed for it.

Blue the Bulldog and friends — Unleashing Pride

Blue the Bulldog's Origin

From the halls of Shady Side to the farthest corners of the globe, Blue the Bulldog is more than a mascot—Blue is a representation of our community’s bond. Whether Blue is cheering in the stands at a football game, welcoming students on the first day of the school year, dancing at an assembly during Annual Bulldog Day (mark your calendar for April 21 each year), or connecting with community members young and old at Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, the SSA spirit is embodied in our beloved bulldog, Blue.

After narrowing down more than 600 mascot suggestions from the community to three finalists, the Academy announced the Bulldogs as its new mascot and team name in December 2020. the Mascot Search Committee, composed of 20 community members, led the search process helping to identify 22 semifinalists. Shady Side students, alumni, faculty/staff, and parents then voted to identify three of their favorites before the final mascot was selected.