School Spirit Vital to Support Student Interests, Needs

School Spirit, the sense of iden- tity and community shared by members of a school, is essential to creating a positive campus culture and supporting student achievement, according to the article “ W hy Is School Spirit Important?” on the Spirit Gear website. To promote school spir- it, students must show more sup- port and participation in school events, even when these events do not complement their own interests.

Students who show school spirit by being involved in school events are more likely to enjoy and feel more connected to their school and classmates. An on- line Harris Polls survey found that 90% of students with high- er than average levels of school spirit (which was self-evaluat- ed) felt very connected to their school and classmates, accord- ing to the article “Got Spirit?” on the National Association of Secondar y School Principals website.

Beyond feeling connected, students with higher levels of school spirit also show greater emotional well-being and lev- els of confidence. Students with higher levels of school spirit are more likely to have a “normal self-esteem” than those with lower school spirit (94% vs. 77%), according to the same Harris Poll survey.

Compared to students with lower levels of school spirit, students with more school spirit are more confident, happier, and more fulfilled, according to the same Harris Poll survey. Students can demon- strate school spirit by attending sports games and participating in school events and celebra- tions; participation does not mean having to be directly in- volved. This can be in the form of cheering at games or rallies, talking to those involved, like student vendors at festivals, or just paying attention and lis- tening instead of being on one’s phone.

While some students do attend some events that they feel direct- ly connected to, they often do not notice the work of students in other events. For example, some students may only cheer at ral- lies when their friends are part of a performance, go to a cultural event only if it’s about their own culture, or go to a sporting event to watch a friend compete.

When students only pay attention to the works and accom- plishments of others in their so- cial groups or similar academic interests, there becomes a dis- connect between those with dif- ferent interests and students are less inclined to explore outside what they are familiar with. Stu- dents can mutually uplift each other by showing more interest in those with different interests.

Often, the social aspect is what makes an event enjoyable. Stu- dents do not have to be interest- ed in art, sports, or different cul- tures to enjoy any event. These events create opportunities for people to hang out, talk, and gen- erally have fun together. Many people watching a football game do not know all the rules, but they can still have fun with their peers and cheer on the team.

Simply showing up would show support for those who organize or participate in an event, like ASB, athletes, or artists. Even if students are not at an event for the work of other specific students, being present shows that other students’ works are noticed and matter. Events that students should pay more at- tention to include sports games, cultural festivals, and school rallies.

W hile some events during school hours, like school ral- lies and spirit weeks, may not seem as exciting as the ones af- ter school, a major part of why these events are not as enjoyable is because not as many students participate in them. The more students participate together in events like Spirit Week, the more energy and festivity the events will have.

In order to foster a positive campus environment and cel- ebrate the achievements and works of students, students need to participate more in school events, celebrations, and festivals outside their interests. Aside from creating a sense of community, it is also just a good way to make or have fun with friends.

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