We all know that great school spirit is the key to success on our campuses. Studies show that it leads to higher student involvement and greater academic achievement while creating a positive community on campus. School spirit is a movement that starts – and grows exponentially. Therefore, planning activities that foster the spread of spirit is essential! One of the best activities to promote school spirit is to hold a Spirit Week. Whether you are the leader at a middle school or high school, holding a few of these during the year is a great way to get the crowd pumped up! Below are a few steps to ensure the success of your spirit week:
- Organize in advance – set up a committee to plan the week. Make sure that it is made up of students who are passionate about school spirit.
- Schedule the week(s) for convenient times that have few conflicts and are centered around other academic or athletic activities (during homecoming, around your school carnival, before key sporting events, or post state testing).
- Publicize everywhere that is visible – use a variety of media to get the word out across campus.
- Theme your week – come up with fun dress up days and lunchtime activities that will encourage participation.
- Assess the risk – choose a variety of activities (low to high risk) in order to encourage the participation of most of your student population.
- Avoid activities that have a negative connotation (don’t plan activities or dress up days that will encourage put downs – like Nerd Day, Gender Bender Day, etc., these tend to encourage bullying and decrease the willingness of staff & students to participate).
Give away prizes to students who participate – choose spirit items which will further promote school spirit (examples include headbands, foam fingers, cow bells, etc.)
Maintain a positive attitude and have FUN planning and putting on your week. The energy will be infectious and it will create enthusiasm on your campus! Example: Middle school spirit week planned around school carnival (which coincides with high school homecoming week).
WEEK THEME: SALAD DRESSING WEEK
MONDAY: RANCH DRESSING
- Dress Up: Dress like you are headed out to work on the farm
- Lunchtime Activity: Pass the pig (students pass a watermelon around a circle – musical chairs style – until the last person is left – winning the game for his/her class/grade level)
TUESDAY: BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
- Dress Up: Wearing as much blue as you can (this is particularly effective if one of your school colors is blue – you can also adapt it to fit your school colors)
- Lunchtime Activity: Blue’s Clues Scavenger Hunt – plan a scavenger hunt that has a list of clues – have students sign up to participate in teams
WEDNESDAY: THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING
- Dress Up: Dress like you are about to visit the islands (appropriate beach wear!)
- Lunchtime Activity: Invite your local Polynesian Club to put on a hula demonstration and teach lessons in the quad
THURSDAY: INTERNATIONAL DRESSING DAY (ITALIAN, RUSSIAN, TACO FIESTA, ETC.)
- Dress Up: Celebrate your heritage
- Lunchtime Activity: International Food Fair – invite local restaurants to donate food items and allow students to taste the foods of other cultures for free
FRIDAY: HOUSE DRESSING
- Dress Up: Wearing school/class spirit wear
- Lunchtime Activity: Battle of the Bands (have an extended lunch period and have student bands compete for the title)
Some sources for more spirit week ideas include:
- The listing of Spirit Week/Dance Theme ideas on the members’ only section of the CADA Website – www.cada1.org.
- The School Spirit/Student Engagement page on the National Association of Student Council’s Adviser Resources page at www.nasc.us/adviser-resources.
- The Idea Share Shop on the Canadian Assoc. of Student Council’s @ http://casaaleadership.ca
- The book Spirit Works by Bob Burton (filled with ideas for dress up days, rally & lunchtime activity ideas, etc.) This book is available online at the CADA Bookstore at www.cada1.org.
- Or try posting a request for new fresh ideas on our CADA or CASL Facebook pages. You will be impressed with how eager students and advisers are to network & share their creativity! www.facebook.com/cadafan.
(this article originally appeared in the CADA News Fall of 2013 Volume 113 Edition 1)
