Students and staff around Shawnee Heights find different ways to encourage a sense of school spirit everyday. When attending games, or even walking through the halls, we look for signs of our school pride. From the T-bird watching over the cafeteria, to the letters of SHHS spelled out in the South Gym bleachers. This year we as a school are searching for new ways to build a feeling of Thunderbird spirit that will grow until May.

Spirit Club has taken action and started a new competition between classes. This is a scavenger hunt around classrooms in which students collect different colored feathers for their classes, these can be earned in various ways throughout the school. The competition lasted throughout September, and a new competition will begin each quarter.

“The Spirit Club officers wanted to find ways to unite our school, and they came up with the feather incentive. This is meant to be a friendly class competition, we will have a new challenge each quarter,” Spirit Club co-sponsor Mrs. Terri Ward said.

Spirit club hopes that beginning this competition will provide the opportunity to bring students closer together and promote teamwork among classes. Red feathers can be found in any teacher’s room, and as they are found students can turn them into the office where they will be added to a class nest. 

“Students have found 3 feathers in my room so far,” Mrs. Ward said.

In addition to the red feathers that can be found, students will also receive white feathers, which are given by teachers as a way of showing appreciation to students who show kindness to others and work diligently.

“I’ve given feathers to students who’ve gone the extra mile on assignments, or to students who’ve consistently helped classmates without being asked,” Mrs. Emily Bradshaw, Spirit Club co-sponsor, said.

This is meant to give the school a chance to grow and build an atmosphere of school spirit, while appreciating students who always exceed expectations.

“It’s a fun challenge where we have teachers hide red feathers, and students as a class have to find them. They find feathers and turn them in, the winners being whoever as a class found the most. It’s just a fun activity outside of clubs,” Ethan Armbruster, Spirit Club President, said.

Winners for this competition will be announced at the end of the first quarter in early October. Winners with the most feathers total will receive a special breakfast sponsored by Spirit Club, while the class with the most white feathers will receive a special prize.

“I like having the opportunity to recognize students for the positive aspects they bring to the school,” Mrs. Bradshaw said.

In addition to the feather competition, Spirit Club works to promote school spirit and motivation in all aspects of the school.

“We have sponsored many dances, king and queen of courts, spirit weeks, dodge ball tournaments, powder puff football, toys for the rescue mission, scholarships, financial assistance to students, yearbook purchases, festival of trees, and canned food drives; just to name a few,” Mrs. Ward said.

Spirit Club works to build a sense of pride among students in our school. Their main goal is to uplift students and engage them in the many different activities our school offers.

“School spirit is essential in building a positive school climate where anyone can be involved, regardless of their skills or abilities, and I hope that is the overall message from Spirit Club,” Mrs. Ward said.