Knightly News Stories
From Campaign Promise to School Tradition: The Story of Sir Bobby
When Watts Cunningham '25 ran for president of The Round Table, he made his fellow Knights a promise: he was going to bring a mascot to Stuart Hall.
The idea of a Knight mascot had been discussed around campus for years, but it had never quite made it from conversation to reality. Watts saw an opportunity to change that - and to turn it into something The Round Table could give back to the school.
After his election, with the support of Round Table Advisor Mr. Tony Taffaro, the idea began taking shape. Taffaro worked alongside Middle School Head Ms. Chana Benenson and Head of School Dr. Peter Kernion to research vendors, gather quotes, review mockups, and determine how to bring Stuart Hall's Knight to life. School leadership ultimately selected the final vendor and design.
Once the project became official, the members of The Round Table were given another important assignment: keep it a secret.
Taffaro reminded the boys that, as members of The Round Table and leaders within the school, they had a responsibility to take the project seriously. The boys bought in, keeping the surprise under wraps as plans moved forward.
A Promise Becomes Real
At the 2024-25 Honors Closing Ceremony, Watts was finally able to share the secret with his fellow Knights. With a mockup in hand, he announced that the goal he had set as Round Table president was officially on its way.
The finished Knight arrived during the 2025–26 school year. To celebrate, Stuart Hall held a pep rally for the mascot's campus debut, with members of the previous year's Round Table returning to see the project they had started finally come to life.
For Taffaro, watching Watts and the boys at the pep rally was one of his proudest moments during his time at Stuart Hall. Their excitement wasn't simply about seeing a mascot for the first time. They had envisioned something for their school, committed to making it happen, and followed it through. Now their idea stood before them.
What Do You Name a Knight?
There was still one important question left to answer: What should Stuart Hall's Knight be called? Naturally, the boys would decide.
The school launched a naming contest, inviting Middle School boys to submit their own suggestions while each Lower School and Preschool class could submit a name together. The response was overwhelming: more than 300 names were submitted.
After the field was narrowed, the school community cast its vote. At the final Chapel of the year, Dr. Peter Kernion announced the winning name: Sir Bobby - chosen in honor of the late Officer Bobby Guidry, giving the school's newest tradition a meaningful connection to someone who had been part of its community. A formal knighting ceremony followed, and Stuart Hall's Knight officially became Sir Bobby.
A New Piece of Stuart Hall History
The mascot project ultimately spanned two Round Table administrations, concluding under 2025–26 Round Table President Judah Place.
Today, Sir Bobby belongs to the school, with the hope that Stuart Hall boys themselves will have opportunities to step into the role and represent their fellow Knights for years to come.
With the support of Mr. Taffaro, Ms. Benenson, Dr. Kernion, The Round Table, and the boys who embraced the project along the way, Watts' campaign promise became something much bigger than a mascot. It became a lesson in what student leadership can accomplish, and a new piece of Stuart Hall history, created by the boys themselves.
2032 South Carrollton Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 861-1954
(504) 861-1954
Stuart Hall School for Boys does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its employment, admissions, educational, or athletic policies.
