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Picture this: fans flood the stadium to watch the two biggest rivals go head-to-head for the biggest game of the season, but the game lacks one very important thing–school spirit.  In the celebration of returning to school, students kicked off the school year with “Howdy Week,” a week of spirit dress up days. Sadly, walking through the halls this year has become as dull as ever. As a student that loves to spread Sandie pride, watching about only forty percent of students dress up made me realize the discouraging atmosphere our school needs to overcome. As students in high school, we have the power to possess the greatest gift of all: encouragement.  

  A close friend of mine once told me, “ I feel when I encourage others, I am also encouraging myself.” This profound statement reminds us of why we encourage our school in the first place. Encouraging others gives us the confidence to not only believe in ourselves, but everyone around us. The rare moment when the freshman class wins a pep rally or the unforgettable feeling of decorating half your face in glitter and walking into the enchanting stadium lights for the homecoming game. These special moments bring the school together in memorable ways. 

School spirit demonstrates an overall passion for our school and the willingness to support it. High school can feel very overwhelming at times, but by spreading spirit for our school we can make the experience a little less dreadful. Showing school spirit can vary in many different ways, like cheering on the Sandies at sporting events, volunteering to help teachers in the school, taking part in extracurricular activities or even dressing up for themed spirit weeks. It demonstrates teamwork within the school; bringing students together to form an engaged school community. It is proven that students who engage in school spirit perform better academically and feel they have opportunities to achieve more. Eighty-eight percent of students with a greater sense of happiness have more school pride than many of their peers. This proves that school spirit can provide a greater surrounding of happier students and a more engaged community at school. 

This year, school spirit is more important than ever. With many events already cancelled this school year, let’s invite our friends, teachers and families to come together to encourage and support the Amarillo High Sandies.