At Meridian, much can be said about our academics, our boys varsity soccer team and our tight-knit feel. However, not much can be said in terms of our school spirit. Students rarely participate in spirit weeks and often take it upon themselves to skip pep rallies.
Pep rallies are a big part of the American high school experience, often depicted in movies and TV shows alongside prom and homecoming. Pep rallies began in the early 20th century and have continued to be a way that schools can come together to honor and celebrate high school sports teams.
In recent years, however, students are significantly more likely to skip pep rallies and other similar events. The last pep rally, which took place on Jan. 23, illustrated an expected pattern of students either skipping entirely or leaving halfway through.
Many students skip school sanctioned spirit events to get on top of their school work, while others simply don’t like to attend.
“Personally, I don’t see it as a valuable use of my time and when I could be getting work and and could be doing something else,” sophomore Jane Traverse stated. “I don’t feel a lot of dedication to the spirit of our school, so if there is something else I could be doing, I’m going to choose to do that.”
Ms. Leigh, a ceramics teacher who has been working in the high school for 20 years, spoke highly of an event that used to be held on school grounds that brought the community together in ways that pep rallies and spirit weeks have not.
When the fire alarm went off, students walked on to the football field and instead of going back to class. Meridian held a picnic with all of the faculty and students, filled with laughter, games and food.
“We would have picnics out on the lawn and students seemed to have a great time,” Leigh noted.
This was an event students looked forward to, not as an excuse to skip school but as an excuse to spend time with friends and enjoy themselves, indulging in our school’s “pep” and community. The question is, should we bring it back and work to revive our schools “pep,” or allow students to focus more on their academics?
Ensuring that students take part in both learning and school spirit is crucial to creating well rounded individuals. Strong school spirit promotes mental health and social skills, without impeding upon academic success. Most colleges and universities look for well rounded individuals rather than solely a high GPA.
The decline in school spirit is hurting the school community. Having spirit helps create a strong environment of welcoming students. It uplifts the community, brings students together and inspires balance. If we want to bring back our school spirit, students need to remember what makes our school worth cheering for.
