While an outsider walking the halls of Westford Academy between October 17th and 22nd may be startled to see students attending their classes in formal wear, elaborate costumes, and intricate face paint, the students don’t bat an eyelash. It’s just spirit week.

With pajama day occurring on Monday, USA day on Tuesday, formal day on Wednesday, Halloween day on Thursday, and class spirit day and a spirit rally on Friday, students are prepared for a week with seldom a dull moment.

Each class acts as a team. Individuals may approach a member of student council during their lunch block to be awarded points that will count towards their class’s total. At the end of the week at the much awaited spirit rally, the class with the most points will be crowned the winner.

While the vast majority of students participate, many are unaware of how this fun-filled week is coordinated each year. Senior and head of the spirit week committee, Lauren Flynn, knows this process like the back of her hand.

Planning began in the last week of September. Ideas were brainstormed and then shared with student council. Once student council had given stamp of approval, a vote was opened up to the student body.

“We wanted it to be up to you guys,” Flynn said.

Ultimately, the vote decided that this year’s spirit week schedule will perfectly mirror last year’s.

“I was pretty happy when we decided to do the same ones as last year. I think, for the most part that USA day, formal day, and PJ day have stayed consistent over the last couple years,” Flynn said, “I like that we have that consistency. People know ‘Oh, I should get my costume!’”

Flynn and her team worked to maximize student participation through the use of signs hanging in the cafeteria and social media, primarily Twitter. Advertising began last Wednesday, in hopes that students would be prepared for the first spirit day on Monday.

The spirit week committee emphasizes the participation of freshmen, who are not only new to the high school setting, but Westford Academy’s specific traditions and customs.

“We do pajama day on Monday not just because it’s nice to have it on a Monday morning. It’s more chill for freshmen. They can just wear sweatpants. They don’t have to go all out. If we had USA day on a Monday, they might think ‘What the heck is going on?’” Flynn said.

The freshmen members of student council are given the task of spreading the news to their classmates.

“This is a big week [for freshmen student council],” Flynn said.

However, Flynn understands that as a freshman, participation can be daunting.

“My freshman year I didn’t do it as much because I was still feeling it out. Even sophomore year, I did everything but not as diligently. It’s really fun from a senior’s perspective because when you’re an underclassman, you see all these seniors dressing up in prom dresses or wearing footie pajamas, and you have something to look forward to,” Flynn said.

Since then, Flynn has risen to the occasion of spirit week, her favorite day being USA day, in which students are urged to wear red, white, and blue.

“I love USA day. I love the fourth of July and I get to re-wear my outfit,” Flynn said, “Plus I feel like everyone does it. You can just wear a red white or blue shirt if you don’t want to go all-out.”

Flynn believes that spirit week is important for the student body, especially at this time of year.

“Even though it’s October, it’s a nice kickoff to the year. Our student body is so good at dressing up. It really brings our whole school together,” Flynn said. “I think it’s really fun to see groups of people come together and organize costumes and participate. I would say the spirit rally is the best reward at the end of it all.”

While spirit week and the spirit rally are very rewarding in her eyes, the process is far from stress-free. The close proximity of the votes deciding the days to spirit week posed a slight problem for Flynn.

“People were coming up to me and asking ‘What are the spirit days?’ and I’d say ‘I don’t know!’ and they’d say ‘Well I need to plan my costume!’” Flynn said.

Aside from assigning themes and counting up each class’s points, another task Flynn and her committee juggled was the placement of spirit days in the week.

“We try to put formal day in the middle versus having back to back USA day and Halloween day. Those are kind of crazy. I think it’s good that that breaks it up,” Flynn said.

Despite the potential stress spirit week may cause, Flynn considers herself an expert on working as part of a team, due to her participation in basketball outside of school. The concept of spirit days is far from foreign to her.

“A lot of sports teams will do the same thing and you know that everyone’s going to participate in it,” Flynn said.

Flynn looks to the future with high hopes for coming spirit weeks.

“I never want spirit week to become something that’s uncool. I don’t want to come back to WA in ten years and hear everyone saying ‘spirit week is so uncool, no one dresses up.’ I want it to keep rolling like it is now,” Flynn said, “I hope everyone gets excited for it.”

As spirit week progresses and the spirit rally gets closer, Flynn hopes that participation will be even stronger than it already has been. She looks forward to seeing each class earn more and more points. While each class has already breached the thousand point mark, Flynn believes the scores can only get better.

To her senior classmates, she says: “Wear your best costume. Don’t be shy. It’s your week.”