There is one week out of the school year that stands out: Spirit Week. There is excitement in the air for students and teachers alike at Westford Academy when Spirit Week is approaching. The halls are buzzing as students talk about the theme of the different days and how they would participate, all leading up to the end-of-week Spirit Rally.
Spirit Week is designed to invite students to participate in the theme of each day of the week. Students have the option to match the theme that was selected for that day. Then, at the end of the week, students and staff gather outside on the turf for the Spirit Rally, which is a competition that takes place between the classes.
Now that it is over, there are a variety of perspectives out there from students. Spirit Week is a time for students to get hyped up and have some fun not only as a class, but as a school. This type of community building event brings everyone together and builds a strong sense of belonging among students and teachers.
As this week went on, I heard more and more mixed opinions on Spirit Week and the spirit days in particular. Some people go all out and thoroughly enjoy the fun that spirit week brings, whereas others struggle to find the purpose and may or may not even participate. Often, it is seniors going all out as a way to commemorate their last year, but overall the daily themes are a great way to promote school pride and give students an opportunity to express their creativity.
In the end, Spirit Week is solely meant to be a fun way to break up the normal weekly routine. With the busyness of most high school days, the majority of the time students are stressed or tired and can feel like their days are just on repeat, but Spirit Week is one way WA sprinkles some fun into the atmosphere, encouraging community building and friendly competition.
It can be exciting to see how other students interpret that specific spirit day and see how they choose to embrace it. It also improves relationships among students and teachers. Some students enjoy seeing the teachers get involved in the different Spirit Days. It lets them know they care and shows a more human and fun side of them.
Still, it is completely understandable how Spirit Week can feel too competitive or even make some people feel uncomfortable, especially for those who are feeling pressure to participate. With this competition sometimes taken too seriously, there are also risks with participating in the Spirit Rally events, as there have been injured students over the years. This is a very serious issue that has come up, which is why students should work together to create a safe environment for others, without letting the competition completely take over. It is important to remember that the purpose of the Spirit Rally is to promote school spirit, not stifle it by enabling injuries or being disrespectful to lower grades.
This year, for example, WA students showed their respect when someone got injured during one of the events and nearly everyone took a knee for the injured student. This moment demonstrated that for most students, their hearts are in the right places, and the intentions are to have fun with friendly competition, not intentionally disparage or hurt others.
The Spirit Rally itself also tends to get a lot of backlash because it is known by most students to be “rigged” for the seniors to win, which can make it feel less enjoyable for the other grades.
It is important to understand that, yes, the seniors will likely win every year. However, in the grand scheme of things, if you take the competitiveness out of the picture, it is just meant to be a fun community building experience for everyone.
“I think Spirit Week and the Spirit Rally is really fun,” sophomore Mia Fremault said. “It is a good way to bring all the grades together when we never really get the chance to do that.”
Many schools have found that the Spirit Rally can serve as a way to build a sense of belonging for all students. Although there is a competitive aspect, the activities planned throughout the week and the camaraderie that is built during the rally itself brings everyone together for one common purpose – WA spirit. It might be a competitive event, but whether you are into sports and competitions or not, you can still have fun and take away all differences you may have with your peers and celebrate that we are one community.
It is unfortunate that some students choose not to participate and fail to find the meaning in the whole idea of Spirit Week.
According to Business Insider, “simply complimenting a classmate’s costume or participating in class competitions can become low-stakes opportunities for connection around a common goal or theme. This can have huge benefits, creating an opportunity for students to dress alike or work with others on a shared project like a dance routine, pep rally, or class float.”
It is important to remember that high school is a fast four years, so it is important to embrace school spirit in order to leave graduation day with no regrets.
