With a recent spirit week in the beginning of May, which featured days that should have encouraged participation, the halls were filled with people who did not participate. You might have seen maybe four people who truly followed the theme for that day. This begs the question of why does Parkdale lack the school spirit other PGCPS schools have?
With days such as duo days and character days, you would imagine this school would be eager to show off their creativity but instead the halls were filled with people in regular clothing or pajamas, far from the theme for the day. There were only a few that truly went all out for the school but even then the majority of people did not participate.
This spirit week is just another example of how our school lacks spirit. During Homecoming spirit weeks, it is rare to find people who truly go all out in celebrating Parkdale. During home games for any sport, the bleachers seem empty. There are also events, such as the recent class night for the spring spirit week, where the participation rate is so low.
When we compare Parkdale to other schools, we look very plain and boring. Schools such as Bowie or Eleanor Roosevelt have high participation rates for their events and home games are filled with people and concessions as well.
While many might blame our SGA for creating such “boring” events, the fault does not lie entirely with them. Many in SGA try to create events and spirit days that may hype the school up but many of these first ideas are denied by administration. So while they do the best they can, it is not enough to elevate Parkdale spirit.
A big fault of this lies with the negative perception of our school. Our school has a negative reputation and atmosphere. Constantly being reprimanded by security or administrators can cause many to dislike Parkdale and see no need to participate in school activities to create our spirit. Even on non-uniform days, there are countless rules to follow which are constantly reminded to us through the PA system.
Another aspect of this is our uniforms. Constantly forced to wear essentially the same thing everyday creates a negative and uninspired atmosphere. So once we have a chance to show our own personal styles at Parkdale, many don’t waste it and show their own creativity instead of participating in the spirit week.
If we look at other PGCPS schools, there are many who do not wear uniforms, in turn they have higher participation rates. The students at these schools are much more inclined to go all out during their own spirit weeks as they get to show themselves and their personalities through their outfits everyday.
High school spirits are not only just fun to have but could also be beneficial to the students. In research done by the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS), students that show school spirit perform better academically than students who do not participate.
Parkdale and its leaders should step up to this challenge. They should help build school spirit as much as they can, not tear them down furthering our negative atmosphere. Building our school spirit can not only benefit many academically but also create a positive environment for every student here, tearing down our negative reputation for good.
