8th Grader, Romy Organizes Class Spirit Week by Cohort

When 8th grader Romy and her mother, Jody, were in the thick of their school search in preparation for their move to California, they got an idea! The schools that stuck out to them all had a spirit week. Spirit Weeks are a way for students to celebrate each other and show their school morale by participating in activities, wearing fun-themed outfits, and competing in spirit week contests. Together with her classmate, Mariel, Romy and Jody brainstormed themes to bring their fellow 8th grade cohorts together (physically-distanced, of course) to spread positivity, fun, and memories for Romy’s final week at Burgundy.

​We caught up with Jody to reflect on Romy’s experience, which everyone hopes becomes a yearly tradition!

What inspired your family to come up with the idea?  
I was researching schools (many, many schools!) all over California and those that stood out to me were the ones that emphasized the above and didn’t just tout “academic rigor”…which everyone does now.  In other words, I saw (on their social media) kids that looked *happy*. Not just staged photos, but kids involved in community events, field trips, working in school gardens, “spirit days,” etc. I had never heard of “Spirit Week” until I looked at the Grauer School in Encinitas, and I thought we could (and should!) do the same… 

How did Romy come up with the themes for each day of the week? 
Romy, Mariel, and I brainstormed. The girls suggested Pajama Day but were excited about the lunchtime activities – Limbo, paper plane contest, obstacle course, etc. They liked the idea of all of the dress-up days but were worried that no one (but them!) would do it. I pushed for it anyway. In the future, if Spirit Week is created for all of the middle school, I know they’d feel less shy about looking silly, and if all kids worked together to come up with ideas, there would be more “spirit.” Lee was a huge help in assisting us in making it happen!

In what ways did she pitch the idea and themes to her classmates? 
She encouraged them to dress up (and guilted them a little because she was moving). We also made digital flyers and printed flyers for the rooms. Other schools hype the week and have kids make big posters, decorate spaces, etc. I made a big Alien backdrop to be a “distanced photo station” as a fun addition!

Was Romy happy with how it all turned out?
Yes! She reported that even though some kids were reluctant to dress up, everyone had a blast with lunchtime activities. It was a very fun-filled and memorable last week on campus. My primary motivation was to have her be in the moment and enjoy her last week instead of dwelling on the cross-country move.

What takeaways do you think she will use from this experience in high school?
Go big and be persistent. When we originally pitched the idea to Jeff and Jared, we didn’t know if the whole Spirit week would even be possible in a pandemic but hoped for at least a Pajama Day. Also, it feels good to be the protagonist of your own story – even if you’re scared of what others will think. 

Would you like to see it become a yearly tradition?
Absolutely! And I’d love to see it done with themes like sustainability and giving back in mind. There are opportunities to raise money and collect donations for specific causes. An additional idea would be to have an  “Ocean Day” — dress up like a mermaid, shark, jellyfish, Spongebob! Perhaps a “freeze dance” day with surf music while raising awareness about ocean plastic pollution–and collect new metal water bottles to donate to local youth groups. There are endless ways to combine fun and community service!

A huge thanks to Jeff, Jared, Lee, EJ, Cara, Renee, the 8th-grade class, and everyone who helped make this happen!