Spirit Week is perhaps the biggest event of the year at Sacred Heart. Every year the whole school gets together to make this thing happen. On the outside, it may seem crazy. I think one year we came in dressed as cereal for a day. I mean that’s kind of weird. But for us it was a great time, and possibly, a forever memory.

For students who have not yet experienced a full spirit week, or forget what it’s like, I’ll give you the run down. Every day, the classes dress up together pertaining to one overall theme for the school.  The cafe gets split into four different sections for each class and decorated with the theme of the first day. Games are played throughout the day in honor of spirit week, and they get really competitive.

This is an event that the whole school prepares for and participates in. It has become an especially important part of the tradition. We look forward to it for the whole year, as all of you know after experiencing ‘mini spirit week.’ This was a small event to prepare for the real spirit week, coming up in March. As you can see, it is a very thought-out event.

At other schools, spirit week would not work the same. I asked a friend of mine, who has now attended 4 years at Branford High School, what they think. They told me that at their school, nobody would put any effort into dressing up or having a fun week. “They just wouldn’t care” I was told. Here, girls prepare for the event weeks in advance, making sure that their outfits are spectacular, and that the event is just the same. Every girl here has spirit, and it’s important to continue that tradition.

This is a tradition that has become very important at Sacred Heart. Spirit week has been happening for as long as anyone can remember. It is one of the oldest events to be taking place at SHA. This event highlights a certain uniqueness here that won’t be found at other schools. Without a doubt, SHA girls have the best school spirit when it comes down to it.

Spirit week is not the only time we have this energy. Halloween, the pep-rally, any event we have a really good time. Spirit week is just the intensified version of that, going on all week and bringing the whole school together more than ever (until two classes get in a fight over who won the game) ?. But, despite the arguing, these events are what creates the community at Sacred Heart. SHA girls become a family over the 4 years we spend at the school. Yes, we go to school together every day, but that is not just it. It is things like spirit week, where all the girls come together. People coordinate costumes, get hype for games, and celebrate with their class. Not only are we learning and growing with each other, we are having fun together while we do it. Without these events, we would not have the strong bonds that we do have with our peers. The 4 years you spend mastering spirit week brings you closer to your class than you can imagine. It’s something you must experience for yourself. If you want to properly experience Spirit week, or any event, you have to go the extra mile. It is what SHA girls do.

This does not have to become expensive though. You can choose to splurge on your outfit, as many do. But many of these outfits are crafted out of the contents of people’s homes. One year, girls had chosen to be avocados. All they needed was a green shirt and a brown paper circle taped to the middle of it. It was simple but they looked amazing.

It seems like a lot of work, but it really isn’t impossible. Spirit week is something that everyone can plan for. So, make sure that this year you show all the spirit you got and really bring the sparkle.