Arcadia High has a new Titan guarding the entrance to the school. A 10-foot tall bronze statue of Atlas has been installed at the front entrance of the school. It is an impressive piece, and at over 500 pounds, it required several workers and a large crane to install. Numerous students and staff were on hand to witness the unveiling and installation of the icon.

Teacher and former Titan basketball coach Scott Lovely was the brainchild behind the creation. In 2007, Lovely was struck with inspiration when he saw the 45-foot tall Atlas statue in New York’s Rockefeller Center. The project was born, and Lovely began the pursuit of creating “a uniform symbol for both sports and the school itself.”

In early 2008, Lovely met with local bronze artist Tom Bollinger from Arizona Bronze in Tempe. They started off with rough drawings that Bollinger then sculpted into a small clay model. From there a larger clay version was crafted with the correct proportions, and in 2009 it was completed and bronzed.

Atlas was one of the second generations of Titans from Greek Mythology. The Titans were a race of deities who ruled during the Golden Age. In one interpretation, Atlas is forced to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders as punishment from Zeus, making him the ultimate symbol of endurance. Atlas was also the god who brought mankind astronomy, a tool used by merchants and sailors in navigation and farmers in measuring the seasons.

Funds for the $30,000 statue were brought in from a variety of sources. Three senior classes (2007, 2008, 2009) donated two-thirds of the money as their parting class gift to the school.

The balance of the expense was made up in Arcadia High’s “Circle Brick Fundraiser,” which started with the school’s remodel in 2007. Bricks from the school’s old “Circle Building” were salvaged, labeled and sold as mementos. 

Lovely says he “wanted the kids to grasp what a Titan was.”

The school’s previous Titan had a Spartan warrior look, with its crested helmet and armor. Atlas represents not only a new image but a more accurate portrayal of a true Titan.

“It feels good, knowing you are leaving a footprint on the school,” Lovely said. “We will forever now be the Titans.”

January 2010 Cover Story: Three Cheers for Tavan!