Soaring spirit
Students participate in the first spirit week of the year.
Spirit week is more than just five days of free dress. Throughout the various themed days, students and staff come together and showcase their enthusiasm for SMCHS. The theme for Homecoming this year was Alice and Wonderland, and the spirit days included America Day, 70’s Day, Disney Day, Blue and Gold Day and Twin Day.
Senior Drew Schlingman, an events commissioner for ASB, knows firsthand the effort it takes to plan and execute a great spirit week.
“It usually starts with a small group of people coming together with ideas, usually Events and the Executive Board,” Schlingman said. “We then bring them up in a general ASB meeting where we crowdsource more ideas from ASB and vote on it.”
Once the spirit days have been chosen based on the themes of the rally and dance, Events works with administration and marketing to promote the upcoming spirit week.
“We have to go through administration to get the spirit days approved,” Schlingman said. “Once that happens, we work with marketing on advertising and making posters.”
Being a part of the behind the scenes for spirit weeks, Schlingman recognizes the importance these simple dress up days have on the students.
“It definitely raises school spirit and gets people really excited,” Schlingman said. “It makes people more accessible than when they are in uniforms.”
Spirit weeks provide the opportunity to promote a sense of community and togetherness while showing school pride.
“If you are doing something strange with [your clothing], it shows a certain level of comfort with those around you,” Schlingman says. “It really opens up the community to more conversation.”
As each spirit day occurs, students and staff are able to see each other embrace their strange side and go all-out with their apparel.
“I love the fact that people can dress weird with each other,” Schlingman said.
