West Iron County Public Schools

What is a Wykon?

A Wykon is a three-legged mythological creature that represents West Iron County Public Schools as its mascot.

When is the Wykon's Birthday?

The Wykon was originally created by three members of the West Iron County faculty: Floyd Carlson, a school counselor; Donald MacDonald, a football coach; and Brandon Giovanelli, an art teacher. Counselor Carlson and Coach MacDonald coined the word Wykon, which was originally Wicon, but it was determined that this might be confused with Wisconsin, so the spelling was changed.

On February 8, 1968, Brandon Giovanelli, art teacher at the then Stambaugh High School, was given five minutes to design a mascot for the newly consolidated district of West Iron County. However, two Giovanelli drawings of the Wykon, each representing a different design, are dated March 27, 1968, hence the establishment of that date as the Wykon's official birthday. The original drawings are housed separately: one is located in the Administration Building and the other in the High School.

The Significance of the Wykon's Tail and Body: A Myth

Tradition has it that the Wykon’s tail is shaped like an "S" for Stambaugh, and the main body along with the upper leg and the space in between spell "IR" to represent Iron River. This was not the intention of Mr. Giovanelli. It is considered a myth by those responsible for the Wykon's creation.