On Tuesday, May 9, Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School unveiled the new bronze bear statue in Golden Bear Plaza, located in the roundabout near the Dorothy Sullivan Lower School. The bear was given by HIES parents Claire and Mark Murray and was the final project in our campus transformation. 

The bear is 10 feet tall and weighs 1,500 pounds. It has its own green space and stone surround, creating the perfect welcome to all past, present and future Golden Bears to 805 Mount Vernon Highway. Golden Bear Plaza is an ideal photo spot as well. 

As the bear made its departure from a foundry in Portland, Ore., HIES enlisted the help of eighth-grade computer science class students, who created a “Bear Tracker” web site to follow the bear’s journey. The bear, accompanied by HIGBY, stopped in several locations along the way, such as Disneyland, the Grand Canyon and New Orleans before arriving at The 805. 

The stone next to the bear reads, “Stand Tall, Stand Proud. You are Forever a Golden Bear.”