In a modern world defined by various technological relations: TikTok communities, amounts of likes, engagement levels, and social media followings, the tradition of School Spirit serves as a rare and real sense of community that is equally accessible to all kids; encouraging students in their interests while ultimately uniting them under the same commonality: pride in their school. 

The power that lies within School Spirit to draw people into a community comes in part from the various games and events: Football Friday Night, Rivalries, Pep Rallies, Fundraisers, Dances, Spirit Weeks, the sense of empowerment after a big win, and even the shared disappointment after a hard loss. But I would argue that most of School Spirit’s power lies in the traditions that aren’t necessarily up to date, but continually serve as an escape from screens and fake realities to an experience of real fun and belonging that is lacking in the 21st-century world, especially for teens. 

School Spirit has been around since the beginning of school-sanctioned sports, where it quickly rose in popularity. It dominated schools, especially in the 1970s-2000s; taking over the social and educational culture of high schools and even the culture of entire small towns, which is reflected in the popular films and television shows that circulated during that time. Entertainment like High School Musical(2006), Remember the Titans(2000), Hoosiers(1986), Friday Night Lights(2006), etc are examples that highlight the hyperfocus and glorification of school sports that was rampant during the 80s, 90s and 2000s. These traditions of Pep Rally excitement, Sports Jocks and their Celebrity Status, and all-around quintessential school-wide sports excitement often seem foreign to the high school students of today, which ends up misleading students to think that School Spirit died out as these traditional ways of celebrating one’s school did. But many staff who have both seen and firsthand experienced both eras of School Spirit would argue differently.

One of those staff members is Mr. Peterson, an Assistant Principal at Kilbourne and also a 2004 Kilbourne Alumni, and he has a few things to say on this topic. He received a 12 Seasons of Greatness Award during his time at Kilbourne; participating in Boys’ Soccer, Dive and Board, and Boys’ Lacrosse, so it is more than safe to say that he is an avid appreciator of all sports and everything that comes with celebrating them, especially when it comes to hype around sports during his time at Kilbourne as a student. Nonetheless, he offered an interesting insight into School Spirit at Kilbourne specifically.

He shared, “I think that comparatively, we have one of the best School Spirits in the area, it just would look different compared to the spirit during the 90s.”

Mr. Peterson is right. School Spirit is still around today; the only difference is what is deemed exciting as a canvas for creativity. 

What has ultimately changed the displays of School Spirit by today’s high school students has been cell phones, and more specifically the introduction and widespread integration of Social Media. 

During the 80s to the 2000s, kids had cell phones, but not to the degree to which we are accustomed today. Mr. Peterson even admitted that one time in high school “[He] lost his phone in the yard one winter and didn’t think about it until it was springtime when the snow thawed and it turned up.”

This is foreign to kids now, we carry our phones with us at all times of the day, constantly entranced by everything going on our tiny little screen we dedicate so much of our time to. This is the dividing difference between High School generations now versus 20 years ago.

Their only way to connect was through the kids at their school. There were no servers, comment sections, or accounts; just gatherings, dances, and bonfires. School Spirit was their form of connection.

Kids today connect differently, through posts, likes, and comments. This is Mr. Peterson’s point: School Spirit hasn’t died, some of the traditions have simply evolved.

He elaborated on this point, sharing, 

“The phenomenon of kids showing up to games with media passes to take pictures and gaining influence because other kids love what they take is one example of the differences.”

It seems that School Spirit hasn’t gone away, but instead, we simply have neglected to realize all the things we do as students that are products of pride in our schools. 

Today’s spirit can be found in the Instagram accounts dedicated to sports teams, spirit week participation, pride in your peers, doing good for your school, supporting the arts program, getting excited about weekly news, and so much more. 

Mr. Peterson left us with one last comment.  

“I wouldn’t say that I wouldn’t want to be a kid today, but I would say that I wouldn’t know how to be a kid today. It would just be different. The same things my parents would say about me.”

This is the importance of having School Spirit. The only people who can understand being kids today are the kids of today, and we have to stick together because at any time our world can be a scary and overwhelming place to navigate. Ultimately, I have learned that the influence of the School Spirit has and continues to lie in the power of connection.

Whether through football games, arts in action, or simply uniting under a common pride in Kilbourne, our School Spirit connects us all and because of that, it’s importance will never fade away.