Leah Granskog, Reporter
Photo by Leah Granskog
The high school’s annual Spirit Week begins Monday, October 27, and runs through Friday, October 31. Each day of the week features a different outfit theme for students. Other Homecoming activities, including Banner Night on Monday and a Bonfire on Thursday, are also scheduled for this week. Spirit Week will end with the Homecoming football game versus Stamford High on Saturday and the Homecoming Dance on Saturday night.
Priscilla Schulz, NCHS PE, Health teacher and Co-Director of the Student Coalition, or StuCo, believes Spirit Week is about showcasing school spirit. “It’s about school community, school enthusiasm, and just an overall level of enjoying what we have here,” Ms. Schulz said.
Spirit Week has been an NCHS tradition for many years, but the theme days that comprise this week vary from year to year. As a member of StuCo, Junior Class Social Board President Emmy Miller helps decide the theme days. “The themes come both from tradition and new ideas,” Emmy said. “For example, Jersey versus Jersey Shore is new this year, but Decades Day has traditionally always been part of the week because the seniors love to dress up in eighties costumes.”
Theme Days Changes
Photo by NCHS Courant
In past years, student participation in Spirit Week has been limited. So, this year, StuCo changed some of the theme days in hopes of improving school participation. For example, Decades Day, a NCHS Spirit Week tradition, had previously mainly seen participation from the senior class whose decade was the eighties. From the freshmen, sophomore and junior classes, whose decades were the fifties, sixties and seventies respectively, there was little participation.
Emmy proposed that Decades Day be changed this year to improve participation. “My suggestion was that we reversed it, and that the seniors still did eighties day, but instead, juniors did nineties, sophomores did 2000s and freshmen could do the 2010s,” Emmy said.
Another spirit day change this year is Halloween Costume Day on Friday. “Because Halloween is on that Friday, we’re going to do Halloween Costume Day,” Student Body President Jordan Alexander said. “So, there’s a lot of potential for some good costumes, which we’re excited for.”
An additional way StuCo hopes to increase student involvement in Spirit Week is by improving its publicity. “It’s on the announcements every day. We have posters up all over the school,” Ms. Schulz said. “The grade levels are putting it in their Instagram accounts and just trying to get the word out there.”
Bonfire Moved to Thursday Night
Photo by NCHS Courant
This year, the Bonfire is taking place on Thursday night, where in past years, this event has always been held on the Friday night of Homecoming Week. “Everybody has plans for Halloween, and we didn’t wanna interrupt those plans,” Jordan said.
Ms. Schulz is looking forward to the Bonfire. “The Bonfire is such a great event. It’s nice, and it’s relaxing,” she said. “We’re going to have food to give away. Mr. Gallo, the English teacher, has a band that he puts together with students, and we enjoy listening to that.”
Homecoming Dance Now in the Cafeteria
The Homecoming Dance, instead of being in the gymnasium as it has in past years, is now in the cafeteria. StuCo hopes this change will improve organization, increase student attendance and create excitement over the dance. “It’s a great way for everyone to come together, especially since the underclassmen don’t have a Prom,” Jordan said. “This is a nice way for everyone to get dressed up and hang out together.”
What Students Can Do to Participate
As for what students can do to become involved in Homecoming Week, participation in Spirit Days and attendance at other Homecoming activities, such as Banner Night, the Bonfire and the Homecoming Dance, are key. “All these spirit days are designed to be inclusive and accessible to everybody,” Jordan said. “So, wearing those costumes and getting involved with these events is a great way to do it.”
“Participate, enjoy, and have a lot of fun,” Ms. Schulz said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
