Ilene Anders
Reporter
Valentine’s Day traditionally sets the scene for people to get close to one another. Romantic love is celebrated by the giving of flowers, chocolates and greeting cards that have quirky but cute sayings. Monday, Feb. 14 is the perfect opportunity for students to wear their hearts on their sleeves, to muster up all their courage and give their hearts to that special someone.
This year, the school is showing its Valentine spirit with a few fundraisers. To raise money for prom, the sophomore class is charging two dollars for students to find who in the school they’re best matched with, based on a personality test. The Student Coalition has been handing out stickers with a username and password, and participators must then go to Datamatch.com and take a survey by Sunday, Feb. 13. On Valentine’s Day at lunch, students give two dollars to the Student Coalition and receive in return a list of 5-10 girls and 5-10 boys in the school with whom they’re most compatible.
“I think it’s a fun way to raise money because it helps the Valentine’s Day spirit; it’s really light-hearted and it brings everyone together,” sophomore class president Katie Kuberra said. Any student can take the survey, and the profits go to the 10th grade class.
On Feb. 4, 7 and 8, the Locks of Love club celebrated Valentine’s Day by selling red carnations for $2.50 per flower to benefit children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. Students could add a message to the flower or send it anonymously to students, and the flowers are available for pick-up at lunch on Monday. Lists posted around the school name the students who received flowers available for pick-up.
“We ended up selling 105 carnations as well as dozens of blow pops, and we raised over 200 dollars,” president and founder of the Locks of Love club, sophomore Quinn Gruver, said. The club’s long-term goal is to raise one thousand dollars, which is the cost to sponsor one child. “Receiving a carnation raises awareness for the club and spreads Valentine’s Day spirit and compassion for others,” Quinn said.
Though fundraisers help contribute to the spirit of love, some students have been in the spirit for a while. Junior Alex Spinu and senior Melanie Escalante will have been dating for almost two years in June. The couple met at a track meet and have been inseparable ever since. “She said she was going to kick my butt if I didn’t win [at the meet],” Alex said. Jokingly, Melanie replied, “Yeah, he thought my aggressiveness was really attractive.”
Despite stereotypes about high school relationships not lasting, the couple has stayed together since they met. “Relationships in high school don’t [usually]last because teenagers get bored easily or they don’t resolve simple issues. Our relationship is an exception because we try to solve our problems,” Melanie said.
However, the couple isn’t exchanging gifts for Valentine’s Day. “I’d rather do something special than buy something,” Alex said.
But appreciating Valentine’s Day doesn’t always mean being in a relationship. “I like Valentine’s Day because love is in the air and it’s all happy and cheery and stuff,” sophomore Janelle Gerardi, who is single, said. “It really boosts everyone’s spirit, and brings to mind who we truly love and who our close friends are.”
Others disagree with the idea of Valentine’s Day completely. “I hate Valentine’s Day,” sophomore Emma Stracke, who is dating junior Derek Hehman, said. “It’s so annoying because you have to get presents, and I don’t like giving presents. I think relationships mean more than gifts.”
Freshman Avery Wrenn agreed. “I don’t like Valentine’s Day because it’s a commercial holiday and it’s really pointless,” she said.
Sophomore Bianca Shultz thinks Feb. 14 can be both happy and sad. “I feel like if you’re single Valentine’s Day could be pretty depressing, [like]if you recently broke up with someone or [because]you’re reminded that you’re alone,” she said. “But it could also be liberating if you went out and found someone.”
The school population has many differing ideas about whether Valentine’s Day is worth their time. But be it loved or hated, Valentine’s Day can bring people together. “The perfect thing [someone]could do for me on Valentine’s Day is probably come support me at my hockey game, or get a really meaningful gift–maybe like a special inside joke we have,” Bianca said.
