Why are unicorns included in the school crest? This is a common question around Lafayette. The short answer is that the school crest is the family coat of arms belonging to the Marquis de Lafayette, a French general who fought for the colonies during the Revolutionary War. He is also the school’s namesake,and  his family granted the school permission to use the crest. Some iterations of the coat of arms include the unicorns while others don’t, but the reason why is not clear. The unicorns symbolize courage and virtue, fitting characteristics of the famed general.

What many students don’t realize is that associate principal Mr. Royster hosts a collection of unicorns in his office.

“It started quite accidentally,” Mr. Royster remarks. It all began with a freshmen’s scavenger hunt a few years back. One of the clues for the hunt was unicorn since Mr. Royster had noticed them on the crest in the rotunda. It came up in a staff meeting and became a running a joke.

Mr. Royster explains, “Artificial happiness became associated with unicorns,” and that there’d be jokes about how things couldn’t be “all rainbows and unicorns.” Over time, Mr. Royster began getting unicorn-themed gifts. Eventually, even a sign was printed, depicting a rabbit juggling unicorns.

His collection resides on a shelf in his office, including figurines, stuffed toys, pottery, and band-aids. Mr. Royster even has a rubber unicorn head! Everyone, students and staff alike, are welcome to contribute to his collection.