As such a huge topic of discussion, it goes without saying that school spirit at SHS has suffered in the last few years. With the obvious obstacle of COVID-19, it has taken a while for this feeling to bounce back.
However, it finally seems that this effect of the pandemic has worn off. School spirit seems to be in a better place than current students have ever experienced before, thanks to the efforts of many clubs, administrators and students around the school.
One of these clubs is the Booster Club, who, after significant improvement, is doing a great job bringing back school spirit.
This improvement has occurred in the short span of a year. Last school year, 524 students applied to go to the fall pep session, while that winter, students were not even required to sign up in hope this would increase these numbers.
This year, however, 809 students applied for the fall pep session. And for the winter pep session, held the Tuesday before Thanksgiving break, 782 students applied.
While these numbers do suggest an increase in student interest, school spirit isn’t entirely measured by logistics. It is a collective feeling that fluctuates constantly, so if it feels like it’s on the rise, then it likely is.
Recently, students have seemed more excited to join or experience activities such as pep sessions and games, a feeling that the Booster Club has done many things to inspire.
One of the ways they are achieving this is through new and improved spirit week themes such as “Anything But A Bookbag Day,” which is an on-the-rise trend that has been done before at other schools.
The incorporation of new, but most importantly, exciting, spirit days helps students want to participate in these weeks and increases the talk surrounding them.
The Booster Club has also incorporated new activities into pep sessions. As a replacement for the Senior vs Staff basketball game, the Booster Club incorporated the Cardinal Cup tournament, in which different grade levels play basketball against each other. This was the best move on their part, as it allowed students from all grade levels to get involved, further pushing the inclusivity that drives school spirit.
Although these changes occurred this spring, changes to the club structure have also played a role in the betterment of the club’s effectiveness. In the past, the group of officers was made up of only juniors and seniors, while now, a larger group of officers is made to include sophomores as well.
Having different people from a larger variety of grade levels bringing ideas to the table ensures that perspectives from different areas of the school are being understood and taken into consideration.
All this to say, the Booster Club is doing an excellent job keeping school spirit at the forefront of their thoughts, and results are definitely being seen. However, students need to do their part in getting involved. Go to a game, pep rally, or participate in a spirit week, because when students get involved, everyone benefits.