School spirit returns to FHS After a year long hiatus, Tiger pride should fill halls once again
Emilia Citoler
T
citolemi000@hsestudents.org
he first Friday of my freshman year, the halls were a sea of red. Teachers and students alike were dressed in all sorts of red garments. Football games were packed to the brim and everyone shared a sense of Tiger pride. As a senior, I’ve watched the fluctuation of school spirit in Fishers for the last four years. Of course, the pandemic changed a lot about what high school looked like during the 2020-2021 school year, having school spirit was almost impossible when classes were held on Zoom. The return to in-person school in 2021 posed a question: What would school spirit look like after a year and a half of nothing? In combination with the excitement of “normal” school and the administration’s push of school spirit, the first Friday of my senior year closely resembled that of my freshmen year: the hallways were once again packed with red. The student section, even at away games, has been packed with screaming supporters of the football team. Even throughout the week, a large amount of school apparel can be seen throughout the halls. School spirit is best described as a sense of pride in one’s school. Different facets of school spirit include participation in school events, the overall engagement of the student body in extracurriculars and supporting one’s school no matter what. School spirit is considered essential to the
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overall success of a school, according to the National Federation of State High Schools, or NFHS. School spirit is not just having pride for your school; school spirit can drastically change one’s experience during their time at their high school. According to NFHS, school spirit has been linked to a higher level of academic performance as well as generally happier students. The more school spirit there is, the more students are enticed to participate in extracurriculars, school events and sports. This creates the “high school experience” that many students are looking forward to when
entering high school. A survey conducted by Varsity Brands determined that students who have a high level of school spirit not only perform better academically but are more civically engaged. A higher feeling of confidence and the development of good leadership skills are also closely connected to the level of school spirit. According to the survey, 92% of principals say that school spirit is tied to “high student achievement.” One of the tangible effects of the return of school spirit is the participation of students at football games. At almost every single home game, the student section is filled to the
brim with students decked out in themed attire. Not only do students show up, they actively participate in the chants led by the spirit leaders, show unconditional support for the team and make games an incredibly welcoming and positive environment. The pandemic changed a lot about how life looked, especially for students. The return to in-person school created a good amount of anxiety on whether or not we could regain, as a school, the school spirit we once had. The 2021-2022 school year presents an opportunity for us to recreate the community and embrace Tiger pride.
A collage of pictures from the first “red-out Friday” shows the revival of school spirit at FHS.
Tiger Times
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