Staff Editorial Vote: 21 agree, 4 disagree

It used to be that the upperclassmen bombarded the incoming freshmen with the fact that it was an absolute-must to have school spirit, but now the freshmen are just stuck on the fact that it’s “embarrassing.”
It used to be that Blue Valley football games were an event that all students attended, but now they’re just something to do on Friday nights before something else comes up.
It used to be that the halls were filled with students dressed up on spirit days, but now there are only a few who actually go all out.
This year, especially, it seems school spirit has been lacking at BV, or maybe it’s something we’ve been lacking for a while, and we’re just starting to notice.
Lately, the energy at school events has been at an all-time low.
Fewer students have been dressing up for spirit days, and even fewer actually put in 100 percent of their effort.
Ultimately, the upperclassmen as a whole have failed to carry on the school spirit that once was.
Student Council member senior Connor Lotz, along with about 15 other students, attended a leadership conference in February dedicated to building school spirit among high schoolers and persuading others to get involved with school activities.
There were several motivational speakers and group activities to give the attendees a chance to share ideas about how to get their classmates involved.
“Basically, [the speakers] told us that school spirit starts with the students, and all it takes is one lone nut to start a movement,” he said.
After the conference, the students put their plans and ideas into action.
“We had a two-hour debriefing with the administration when it was all over, and that’s when [seniors] Rachel [Jenkins], Aubrey [Jeffries] and I decided to actually start doing something about…school spirit at Blue Valley,” he said.
Lotz said they shared ideas with the teachers and administration in order to improve school spirit at BV.
“We are focusing on getting more people involved with cross-strand activities — having the football kids go to the choir concert and vice-versa,” he said.
Lotz said the conference and the meeting with the faculty made him come to a realization about his high school experience.
“Quite honestly, I don’t want to leave a [bad] legacy,” he said. “I’ve come to realize it’s not the grades or tests I’m going to remember — it’s the experiences I have at my high school with the kids that I grew up with.
“It’s my last quarter at the high school ever. I want to go out leaving behind the pride that I came in with. My freshman year the senior class was amazing — they attended everything and pumped up the crowd regardless of winning or losing. Unfortunately, that’s not the same with my grade. We don’t have participation in any activities or sporting events. So, we’re trying to restore the faith that was once the Blue Valley Tiger tradition.”
School spirit is so much more than conveniently wearing a black shirt with gold earrings on a black and gold spirit day or being able to brag to students at BV West by simply saying, “State.”
School spirit is about carrying on traditions, supporting our fellow classmates in their sports, arts and other talents, and continuing the legacy that BV is a first-class school that is always 100 percent “fired up.”