Tiger Pride
Students and teacher share how Tiger Pride club spreads school spirit around Blue Valley
Supporting Sports
Seniors encourage peers in their athletics
Many believe that cultivating school spirit is essential for boosting morale, building connections, and fostering values and cultures. Though there are a plethora of ways to enhance school spirit, the distinctive BV-made tradition of Senior SuperFans stands out.
In this program focusing on student-athletes, each participating senior is designated a senior player to support and endorse them at their sporting events. For senior Tamar Reem, this was the perfect opportunity to be a SuperFan for someone she’s already a fan of off the field.
“I am a SuperFan for Isabella Vaz because we’re really good friends,” Reem said. “I wanted to cheer her on in her last year of soccer and high school.”
Boosting the morale and motivation of the players, it’s a creative way to encourage connections to form and grow. This rings especially true for senior soccer player Reem’s chosen athlete, Isabella Vaz.
“Having Tamar as a SuperFan is a lot of fun. I enjoy seeing the signs she makes me and I appreciate her coming to support me at games,” Vaz said. “She’s [also] a member of the cross-country team and I tried to shower her the same support at her Senior Night meet by cheering her on with a sign. It’s been fun supporting and encouraging each other.”
With the application process simply being a link to sign up, the accessibility of this program incentivizes many seniors to join. However, it does require some time commitment during the season their chosen athlete is playing.
“I try to go to every game I can when I’m not working,” Reem said. “I usually make signs and just come support her.”
Despite the time it may take, Senior SuperFans always show up with gifts, signs, and face paint on hand. Not only supporting their athlete but also all of the others, this desire to be active has increased attendance at competitions.
“I feel the SuperFan system is a great way to shed light on all of the different sports and activities that students are involved in. It helps encourage our grade to show up and support one another,” Vaz said. “I think we’ve seen the impact of this through the growing size in our student sections at a variety of sports and it’s awesome to see them grow.”
Regardless of whether students choose to continue their sport in college, SuperFans is a way to appreciate the skills and abilities the athletes have and form a greater sense of community.
“I think it creates a fun environment for the players and reminds them that there are a lot of people who support them,” Reem said. “It’s really fun to show up for your friends and create a positive environment at the games.”
Painting the Halls with Pride
Student council members share impact of Spirit Week decorations
Pride plays a huge role in getting students eager at Blue Valley. Whether it’s for a sports match, a theater performance, or a school dance, tigers can count on the Student Council to stir up excitement. One of the biggest ways student officers stimulate competitive school spirit is by hosting competitions in which each grade level goes head-to-head to decorate the best hallway.
Senior class vice president Kate Kozlowski explains the fervent process.
“You prepare the week before and we like to go over to somebody’s basement and decorate,” she said, “Especially when you’re a senior, it’s a lot of pressure to win.”
On the other hand, freshman class president Caleigh Richardson enjoys the demand to pull through for her underestimated grade.
“I didn’t know what I was doing going into it,” she said. “But I had the right people on my team, so it was fun getting up early in the morning before spirit week starts.”
Each officer believes the rivalry is crucial to bringing about school spirit. Despite the competition pitting grade levels against each other, anyone is welcome to partake and team up with others in their grade.
“Hallway decorating is a great way to get everyone in the mood for the upcoming school dance, and [the hallways] are fun to set up,” junior class representative Glory Okeowo said.
Though everyone knows when school dances are, Kozlowski trusts that the hallways being decorated keeps people from forgetting to participate in other spirit week activities like Pajama Day or the Homecoming Bonfire.
“It just makes people more spirited in general,” Kozlowski said.
Richardson finds that the tradition especially has a considerable impact on freshmen.
“It introduces the freshmen to how things go and how to get all hyped up,” she said.
The judges come in Monday morning to make their decision, but even those who didn’t win get something out of it.
“It gets people ready for the dance and it encourages students to participate,” Okeowo said.
Spirit Unleashed
Students discuss school spirit throughout the school
At Blue Valley High School, the students bleed black and gold. Pep rallies and assemblies get rowdy, as each grade section goes wild over another state title won by a curriculum or sport. Senior and Student Council President Maggie Richardson expresses what she believes makes the school.
“My favorite part about Blue Valley is 100% our school spirit. I love how everyone gets crazy every assembly and football game,” she said. “Without our spirit, we wouldn’t be Blue Valley.”
The assemblies are the heart of all school spirit at BV. Although Richardson isn’t able to be in the stands, she enjoys being able to see everyone else’s spirit.
“I love being able to be the student body president because I get to host most of the assemblies — I love that I can see everyone laughing and getting along in the stands,” Richardson said.
School spirit isn’t only about black and gold but also the traditions and values that define the heart of BV. Junior Audrey Ahring believes that the spirit brought to every assembly is an atmosphere like no other.
“I love going to the assemblies because everyone gets so hyped and it’s a time where we all come together to try and win our class chants – the energy brought is always so infectious and that’s why I keep going,” Ahring said.
Besides class chants, another tradition that is very loved is the recognition of achievements by principal Dr. Charles Golden.
“The thing I like the most about our assemblies are the traditions we have. For example, when Dr. Golden gives out another 36 jerseys or ‘grr’s’ when we get another trophy,” Ahring said, “We always stand up and clap and it’s a moment where we all are proud of being a tiger.”
Although spirit runs deep in BV, it also has a legacy of being more than just a community but a family. Ahring is confident to say that the impact of school spirit has brought everyone together,
“I haven’t yet won anything for the school but every time we get donuts or another trophy for the school, I feel like we all just won something too,” she said.
While trophies and awards make up the hallways, the true meaning of BV is the firm support that brings the BV family together.
“Here at BV we aren’t just students but family, whether it’s a helping hand for a club fundraise or cheering each other on– it’s somewhere I can call home,” Richardson said, “I wouldn’t want to go to any other school.”
