Spirit Week features student-chosen theme days

In high school, the fall season has many exciting events to look forward to such as football games and festivals. One key time period for getting the student body pumped up is Spirit Week, a tradition at Bearden High School that is projected to have even more hype than in the past with new events and new themes. During the week of September 12-16, SGA sponsor Mrs. Rachel Harmon and the SGA representatives are putting together several events and fundraisers to get students excited about Bearden and Second Harvest. This year, students were allowed to vote on the Spirit Week theme days in an attempt to raise participation. “Spirit Week isn’t for a certain group of people,” Mrs. Harmon said. “It’s for the whole school.” The theme days are as follows: Monday—Sports Day Tuesday—Twin Day Wednesday—Cowboys vs. Aliens Day Thursday—Hogwarts Day Friday—Maroon and Gray Day To get ideas about appropriate attire, students can check out mannequins that will be placed in the West Mall, by the Pit, and other areas around the school. SGA representatives will dress them all up differently to reflect the next day’s theme. The kick-off for the week is Spirit Night, beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday. It is set up like a carnival with the main event being a series of Powderpuff games. First will be the Freshmen versus Sophomores game, followed by the Juniors versus Seniors. The winners of each game will compete against each other in a championship. Spirit Night will also include refreshment booths run by Bearden clubs, including the Dance Team, Prom Committee, NJROTC, and DECA. Other attractions are carnival games, male cheerleading, a shopping cart parade, two special guests, and the Hot 104.5 van. The cost to get in is $5 per person, in addition to minimal costs for food, and all of the proceeds go to benefit Second Harvest. “In the past, people have considered SGA to be a closed, elite group,” senior and co-chair of Spirit Week Delaney Thomas said. “We want to show the student body that we are the liaison between faculty and students.” To change up the usual focus on competition between classes for Second Harvest, not as much emphasis will be focused on the Dawg Lot rivalry. This year will feature a new fundraiser using “Spirit Week Links.” Individuals or school clubs can purchase Spirit Links during lunch to make into chains that will decorate the West Mall throughout the week. To wrap up the week before the football game and the homecoming dance, there will be a Pep Rally on Friday, during the last 20 minutes of school. The homecoming court will be announced, and it is rumored that Mr. Second Harvest will make an appearance. All of these events are designed to get Bearden students to be more energized about the school, and supporting the sports teams and Second Harvest is a good place to start. “I wish more people were into spirit, and I hope it’s a bigger deal this year,” sophomore football player Chad Jenkins said. “It’s nice to feel like the whole school is behind what we do.”