Life is always interesting at West Anchorage High School. Our student body is known for being diverse, enthusiastic, dedicated and fun-loving. Students got to have even more fun than usual a few weeks ago for Homecoming spirit week. 

The themes for spirit week were “Surf’s Up” on Tuesday, “Kids Don’t Float” on Wednesday, “Class Colors” on Thursday, and “Anchor Day” (black and orange) for Friday. Most of the themes, with the exception of Thursday due to the Pep Assembly, were chosen to align with the Homecoming dance theme of “Under the Sea”.

Brian Lyke, an English teacher and newcomer to West, got to experience his first large-school spirit week. His previous schools were significantly smaller and he was especially impressed with the pep assembly, saying that was his first time witnessing something so grandiose. He also enjoyed Spirit Week, saying that he thought it helped reinforce the sense of community ever present at West and fostered student connection through silly outfits and shared sense of spirit.

Adam Mackie, who has been teaching at West for six years, enjoys the sense of community that spirit week creates. He says he dislikes when spirit week, and school spirit in general, turns negative and excludes certain people. In particular, the booing of the freshman at the pep assembly disappointed him. He thinks that spirit week, and school spirit as a whole, are at their best when they exemplify inclusion for all students. 

Let us, the students and staff at West, continue to strive and improve how we express school spirit, and ensure that it is always used not to exclude and shame certain people, or stifle self-expression, but instead use it to include and reinforce our already strong sense of community here at West. And as always, GO EAGLES!!!