Recently, the 2014-15 edition of Spirit Week at Cherry Hill East came to an end. Just by observing people for the next few days that followed, one could tell that the avid lovers of Spirit Week felt something lacking. Could anyone blame them, though? These students, from every grade level and demographic found at East, comprised the group that participated in the activities. Nearly every student and administrator who participated had a blast. Being a part of the active community in front of a majority of the school is a great way to establish a presence and get involved in the school community.  In general, Spirit Week becomes a negative part of students’ lives when people take the true meaning out of the competition or distort it.

At face value, Spirit Week seems to serve as a healthy week where students can break the monotonous cycle of studying mentally for school and preparing physically for upcoming sports competitions. Students thrive by being able to escape from the harsh realities of the present.

“Spirit week means one week of having fun and not worrying so much about the tasks at hand,” said Jon Zablin (‘15). “As a senior, I am stressed from doing college applications, and just need an opportunity to relax.”

Tension can be sensed from time to time, particularly between students in different grade levels. Sometimes, the “healthy” part of the competition begins to fizzle out, as grade levels become obsessed with their image. Some participants’ attitudes change from “happy-go-lucky” to “never-say-die” between the beginning and end of the extravaganzas.

“Spirit week really brought the class together. It was a fun and unifying experience,” said SGA member Lokesh Sha (‘15) .

It is undeniable that the games themselves encourage competition and participation. Still, some students believe that one must fit a certain mold to be able to have an enjoyable time while participating in the games.

“Spirit week is a chance for the school to come together and be happy,” said John Anglagin (’16). “It’s all about connecting with your grade as a team.”

While Spirit Week may be a relaxing gathering that lets students escape from stress, it is imperative that going forward, there should be a change in who is encouraged to participate in certain events. It is up to the classes graduating after the seniors to practice acceptance and make it known that anyone is welcome to participate in all the Spirit Week events.