Rams House! Monterey Park school changes Bengal mascot to Ram ahead of Super Bowl

MONTEREY PARK, Calif. (KABC) -- Brightwood Elementary School in Monterey Park is known for having a bengal as a mascot. So a local radio station challenged the school to change it to a ram for the weekend ahead of Super Bowl XLV to show their support for the Los Angeles Rams.

"We were challenged and we had a schoolwide election and so all of the students, about 712 students, voted," said Candance Griego, principal at Brightwood Elementary.

Griego said about 200 voted to keep their mascot as a Bengal, but more than 500 voted to change it to a ram.

Students, teachers, staff and parents celebrated by unveiling their new mascot on a banner on top of the Bengal that's painted in front of the school.

"We have had our mascot as a Bengal for about 60 years. To have it changed to the ram for one weekend is very exciting," said Whitney Hoang, an eighth-grade student at the school.

To witness this moment was the stadium announcer for the L.A. Rams Sam Lagana.

"I am happy to see the City of Los Angeles coming together and to rally around the Rams and the Rams house and the entire experience. It's unifying. When L.A. is together we're better," said Lagana.

And the local radio station gifted a $2,500 check to the school.

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