A new 11-foot, 250-pound totem pole was unveiled Monday at Choctawhatchee High School, completing a two-year design and construction process to replace the school’s previous wooden totem pole.
- The new poly resin structure stands where the original wooden totem pole had been located since 1997 before being removed due to construction at the front of the 73-year-old school. Engineers determined the previous totem pole, which had begun to rot, could not be safely relocated and reinstalled.
“Choctaw is built on tradition and our new Totem Pole was so carefully designed to tell our 73 year old story,” said Principal Michelle Heck. “I’m so grateful as well as proud of our alumni who served on the design committee and felt so passionate about the Choctawhatchee standard of excellence with Academics, Athletics, Music and Arts. What they have helped to create will continue our legacy for the next many generations.”
School board member Linda Evanchyk, a Choctaw alumna and former teacher at the school, led the alumni committee formed in May 2023 to design the replacement. The committee also included alumni Tisha Fleet, Mark Forsman and Elizabeth Mangum.
- Forsman, a 1971 graduate and artist, created the prototype design. The committee worked with Icon Poly, a Nebraska-based company that also created decorative herons visible around the local area.
Kyle Vohland, the manufacturer from Icon Poly, said the project required approximately 300 hours of work time. The company used a proprietary process involving computer sculpting, 3D printing, and milling to create the original model, then made a rubber mold to produce the final poly resin piece through a spinning process that builds up multiple layers.
“This is the first one,” Vohland said of creating a totem pole. “We have never done a totem pole before.”
The design committee focused on creating elements that would resonate with anyone connected to Choctawhatchee High School, from students and teachers to alumni and fans. Unlike the previous totem pole’s more traditional Native American design, each section of the new structure relates specifically to the school.
“It’s a symbol of 70+ years of tradition,” Evanchyk said. “It’s the one thing that we have had consistently except for the times when it had to go down and people identify with it.”
Superintendent Marcus Chambers attended the installation event, which drew current students, alumni, and educators.
- “It was truly inspiring to see the totem pole installed today,” Chambers said. “The Choctawhatchee Alumni have worked tirelessly to preserve this cherished tradition, and the result is absolutely beautiful. I deeply appreciate their dedication to Choctaw and its rich history. The turnout for the event was incredible—it was uplifting to see so many former and current students and educators come together in support of the school.”
Committee member Tisha Fleet, also an alumna, described the project as “one of the most fun things” the group had done together, noting that some committee members had worked together more than 50 years ago.
The totem pole installation coincides with recent construction improvements at Choctawhatchee High School, including a new multipurpose building and redesigned front entry that opened in October 2024. These improvements were funded by a voter-approved half-cent sales tax.
