{"id":2128,"date":"2023-06-12T19:48:03","date_gmt":"2023-06-12T23:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/?p=2128"},"modified":"2024-02-21T11:38:19","modified_gmt":"2024-02-21T15:38:19","slug":"mr-sneakers-taxidermied-squirrel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/2023\/06\/12\/mr-sneakers-taxidermied-squirrel\/","title":{"rendered":"Mr. Sneakers: Alexandria City High\u2019s True Mascot"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cWe are the Titans\u201d is no more.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n

Salma El Gourchal<\/p>\nStaff Writer<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Sneakers is one of Alexandria City High School\u2019s greatest anomalies. You might have seen him in someone\u2019s hand while walking to the bathroom, scaring people crossing its path, or even thrown in the bushes by Parker Grey Stadium by sophomores who want to get rid of the infamous taxidermied squirrel. Many ACHS students, current and past, will have Mr. Sneakers etched in their minds forever. Is that a good thing? Only time will tell, but it\u2019s certainly something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The taxidermied squirrel hails from A210 as English 10 teacher Jeff Cunningham\u2019s bathroom pass. Mr. Sneakers became a staple of ACHS during the late 1990s after a parent killed and subsequently taxidermied the squirrel after it attempted to steal bird food. It made its way to 3330 King Street after the man\u2019s daughter brought the squirrel into Cunningham\u2019s English class for a creative writing assignment. She left the squirrel with Cunningham, and Mr. Sneakers hasn\u2019t left ACHS since. It was probably for the best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe is his own squirrel; he has a strong sense of school spirit,\u201d said Cunningham about his furry friend. \u201cHis favorite movies are Remember the Titans<\/em>, The Nut Job<\/em> and the Ice Age<\/em> movies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
In his school ID picture, Jeff Cunningham poses with Mr. Sneakers<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Sneakers is quite the discussion topic among students. Junior Vivian Roman says the squirrel is cute and is a great addition to the classroom. \u201cI love him,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some, however, don\u2019t share the same affection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s weird,\u201d said junior Jules Malleck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Sneakers is best known for being the hall pass for Cunningham\u2019s students to use when they go to the bathroom, get a sip of water, or visit the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c[It\u2019s] actually quite genius,\u201d said senior August Taylor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even ACHS alumni still remember Mr. Sneakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was quirky, but it was Cunningham\u2019s squirrel,\u201d said Titan alum Leonard Barrett.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Mr. Sneakers isn\u2019t only known among students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After hearing about the squirrel for the first time, Social Studies teacher Mr. Ra\u2019Alim Shabazz burst out in laughter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not even sure if that is sanitary,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patrick Deville, another ACHS teacher, was in utter confusion about Mr. Sneakers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust why?\u201d Deville asked. \u201cWas it roadkill? Was it a meal that turned bad? What elaborate trap did Mr. Cunningham set up to acquire Mr. Sneakers? Why the name \u2018Mr. Sneakers?\u201d. Some questions just never have answers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even students outside of ACHS had something to say after discovering Mr. Sneakers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBro, what the heck is that?\u201d asked Ali Lakta, a senior at George C. Marshall High School in Fairfax, Virginia, upon seeing Mr. Sneakers for the first time (a very valid response). \u201cThat\u2019s actually funny.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alexandra Bobadilla, a senior at Garfield Senior High School in Woodbridge, Virginia, found the idea of a taxidermied squirrel bathroom pass cute and comedic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a little frightening but cute,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadly, Mr. Sneakers\u2019s time at ACHS has come to an end after a historic twenty-five-year run. With Mr. Cunningham\u2019s retirement at the end of this school year, Mr. Sneakers will also be retiring. Cunningham held a \u2018Mr. Sneakers essay contest\u2019 for his students, and the winner will be taking Mr. Sneakers home for the rest of his sweet taxidermied life (he\u2019s probably going to last a WHILE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he prepares for retirement and a new home, Mr. Sneakers is currently locked in one of Cunningham\u2019s cabinets alongside a gold trophy he won after being crowned the  \u2018Hall Pass Madness\u2019 grand champion by the ACHS Librarians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMan, enjoy your squirrel retirement my friend,\u201d Cunningham said. \u201cI wish you nothing but a fresh bag of nuts for you and a holiday of good times.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Mr. Sneakers poses with his \u2018Hall Pass Madness\u2019 award<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cunningham, who has taught at ACHS for thirty years, says that the school now is different from when he first began teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTeaching here has been eventful. This place changed so much; it\u2019s insane,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t know how to explain it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Mr. Sneakers is going to be sent off in the care of a sophomore\u2014  which might not be the best brightest idea, but who\u2019s to say?\u2014 Cunningham plans to travel around the world during his retirement\u2014 specifically, Asia and East Europe. For the rest of the year, Mr. Chompy, a taxidermied piranha, is replacing Mr. Sneakers as the A210 hall pass. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both Cunningham and Mr. Sneakers will be greatly missed by the Titan community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Mr. Chompy, the taxidermied piranha, is A210\u2019s current hall pass<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

All photos by Salma El Gourchal for <\/em>Theogony<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mr. Sneakers is one of Alexandria City High School\u2019s greatest anomalies. You might have seen him in someone\u2019s hand while walking to the bathroom, scaring people crossing its path, or even thrown in the bushes by Parker Grey Stadium by sophomores who want to get rid of the infamous taxidermied squirrel. Many ACHS students, current and past, will have Mr. Sneakers etched in their minds forever. Is that a good thing? Only time will tell, but it\u2019s certainly something.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":2137,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,5],"tags":[41,595,596,594,598,599,28],"class_list":["post-2128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-banner-slider","category-style","tag-alexandria-city-high-school","tag-english-teacher","tag-hall-pass","tag-jeff-cunningham","tag-library","tag-mascot","tag-titans"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/cunninghamandsquirrel-1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2128"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2128\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2141,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2128\/revisions\/2141"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2022-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}