Spirit Week at THS

The Talawanda Spirit Week Banner on display outside the THS media center. Photo by Shelby Sterwerf.

This year’s spirit week was not only about school pride, but pride in the community.

Throughout spirit week Talawanda students participate in penny wars, as well as dressing up each day according to different themes.  The profits from the penny war, a competition between grades to raise money for an organization, will go to the Oxford Family Resource Center.

“They give a lot of donations to Talawanda students,” said Andy Zimmerman, yearbook advisor and spirit week organizer.  “This is our way of giving back.”

This year, spirit week was organized as a competition where grade levels compete against one another to see who has the most spirit.   Each day of the week has a different theme and students dress up according to that day’s theme.

Freshman Grace Huddlesten thinks the daily theme adds to school spirit. “It’s fun to dress up everyday,” she said. “I feel more spirited.”

Because every student has an English class, teachers tally how many students are dressed up each day. The class with the most people dressed receive 4 points for the day, the next class receives 3, then 2 and 1 point to the class with the least amount of people dressed up.

These points are added to points earned during the week-long penny war, and the winning class will have their graduating year embroidered on the Talawanda banner.

“I think that is a great idea!” said senior Sydney Phillips.  “Seniors better win.”

In the end, Zimmermann just wanted to start something new in the new school. “I wanted to start a new tradition,” he said. “That way when you come back in 50 years, there is something with more meaning hanging on the wall.”