The Sofia the First Amulet Treasure Toy is a popular toy among young fans of the Disney Junior animated series, Sofia the First. The amulet toy is inspired by the magical amulet that Sofia wears throughout the show and is a beloved accessory for any little princess-in-training. The amulet toy is designed to look like the one Sofia wears, with intricate detailing and sparkling gems. The main idea of this toy is to allow children to feel like they are part of Sofia's world and to inspire imaginative play. Kids can wear the amulet toy as a necklace or use it as a prop while acting out their favorite scenes from the show. The amulet toy also features interactive features, such as a hidden compartment that opens up to reveal a small treasure inside.
‘Retire the Rebel’: Campaign seeks to remove Confederate-themed nickname from Indiana school
The nickname “Rebels” for the sports teams at Southwestern High School in Hanover, Indiana, has nothing to do with the Confederacy, school officials there have long claimed.
The school superintendent, in fact, says the name came from the iconic 1955 James Dean movie Rebel Without a Cause.
But that makes little difference to Julie Patterson, an alumnus who started a campaign to “Retire the Rebel” after her comment about the nickname “blew up” a school alumni page on Facebook.
“If you’re a person of color, I would imagine that the Rebels would color your thinking about what kind of town you’re moving to,” Patterson told the Southern Poverty Law Center. “It’s a signal. It talks about your community. Why wouldn’t you want to change it so that everyone feels welcome here? Why remain so stagnant?”
The fact is, regardless of the nickname’s origin, Confederate imagery was used in association with it almost immediately after the school opened in 1960 – in the midst of the civil rights movement – and continued to be used for many years, according to WFPL radio, an NPR affiliate in Louisville, Kentucky.
WFPL reported that the school’s 1963 yearbook featured a Confederate soldier on the cover and that there were “more obvious references coming in the 1980s and 1990s,” including several depictions of the Confederate battle flag. A Confederate soldier had also appeared on the 1962 yearbook cover, Patterson said.
A 2019 graduate who played in the pep band told WFPL that a “Colonel Reb” character was sometimes depicted on flags waved by students at sports events and that it wasn’t uncommon to see students wearing clothes with Confederate symbols. Nowhere to be seen was any kind of James Dean likeness.
Patterson’s campaign comes at a moment of national reckoning over race and the country’s history of white supremacy – and schools and sports teams across the country are grappling with issues involving their names and what they symbolize.
And though Hanover officials continue to resist, change is happening elsewhere – even in the city known as the “cradle of the Confederacy.” In Montgomery, Alabama, students and other advocates last year persuaded the school board to change the names of three high schools named for Confederate leaders and soldiers.
The changes are also happening at the college and professional levels. The University of Mississippi, known as “Ole Miss,” retired its longtime mascot, Colonel Reb, in 2003. And in the National Football League, the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins now calls itself the Washington Football Team, pending the selection of a new nickname that does not denigrate Indigenous people.
These changes are being driven by people like Patterson who refuse to accept the status quo, even when they risk significant backlash in their communities.
The amulet toy also features interactive features, such as a hidden compartment that opens up to reveal a small treasure inside. This adds an element of excitement and surprise to the toy, encouraging children to engage with it in different ways. Additionally, the amulet toy can also play songs and phrases from the show when pressed, enhancing the play experience and making it even more immersive.
Reckoning with racist mascots
Patterson, 42, grew up in Hanover and has a long family history with Southwestern High. It’s where the former educator, her sister and her brother attended, where her nephew and niece attend, and where her father graduated in 1968 before becoming a teacher there.
In 2018, Patterson moved from New Orleans to Madison, Indiana, about five minutes away from Hanover. Two years later, in 2020, she had an exchange with a man on a Southwestern High School Facebook alumni page. The man, who was the page owner, had posted an image of Colonel Reb as the group’s profile picture and said he had been asked to change it. In his post, he wrote that the group wasn’t open to discussion about whether the image was acceptable or not. Patterson replied that it was “the epitome of white privilege to shut down a discussion like that.” She also suggested the school needed a new nickname.
It didn’t go over well.
“People were mad at me,” Patterson said. “I was blocked from the page and sent a message from the man saying he was going to sue me for libel.”
She followed up by advocating for a change in a letter to the editor in the Madison Courier. She imagined a fluffy mascot – one that would resonate with elementary and middle school students and that represented inclusivity, not racism. Soon she was flooded with emails from educators. Most of them were civil. Some were not, like the one asking her to “go back where she came from.”
She decided to launch a campaign – “Retire the Rebel” – and in July 2020 the group presented a petition to the school board asking for a name change and also that the school recruit teachers of color and from different areas. The petition has over 2,000 signatures, she said.
Soon, people in the Southern Indiana town began calling Patterson’s group Communist and Marxist, the same labels given to civil rights advocates in the 1950s and ‘60s. Undeterred, “Retire the Rebel” continued to email the school board once a month, suggesting different mascots.
“We tried to team up with anybody we could,” Patterson said. “Some people are staff members at Southwestern who are interested in the change. But people were retaliating. Some are literally afraid to speak about it.”
Despite the backlash, Patterson said she has made new friends from the project, too.
“I reconnected with people I knew from Southwestern and met new people who were in support,” she said. “My three closest friends are the people who spoke with me at the school board meeting.”
This past summer, the school board finally acknowledged that using Confederate imagery to represent the school was wrong and that people were agreeing with Patterson’s campaign. The school even painted over a mural depicting Confederate soldiers.
But the nickname remains, and the campaign to change it has come to a standstill.
Overall, the Sofia the First Amulet Treasure Toy is a magical accessory that allows children to have their very own amulet, just like Sofia. With its beautiful design, interactive features, and connection to the beloved television series, this toy is a must-have for any young fan of Sofia the First..
Reviews for "Sofia's Amulet Comes to Life: Exploring the Sofia the First Amulet Treasure Toy"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I bought the Sofia the First amulet treasure toy for my daughter, and she was so excited to play with it. However, we were both disappointed with the quality of the toy. The amulet was poorly made and easily fell apart. The treasure chest was flimsy and didn't stay closed properly. Overall, it was not worth the price and I wouldn't recommend it.
2. Sarah - 1 star - The Sofia the First amulet treasure toy was a huge letdown for my daughter and me. The amulet didn't even resemble the one from the TV show, and it looked cheaply made. The treasure chest was even worse. It didn't close properly and kept falling open, spilling the tiny treasures inside. The overall quality was very poor, and we were highly disappointed. I would not recommend this toy to anyone.
3. Jennifer - 2 stars - I was hoping the Sofia the First amulet treasure toy would be a great addition to my daughter's Sofia collection, but it ended up being a disappointment. The amulet was too big and bulky, and it didn't fit comfortably on her neck. The treasure chest was also poorly made, and the latch to keep it closed was flimsy. The little treasures inside were not very detailed or interesting. We expected better quality for the price.