Recently, an exciting new opportunity for student engagement has been introduced to our student body. From the creative minds of our Student Activities Director, Ms. Figueras, and the student council comes “Roar Rewards”.
It’s an initiative specifically created to “amplify school spirit and support for our Bobcat sports teams”. The targeted events are sports games that offer you a chance to cheer on and support your friends and fellow Bobcats.
“We came up with Roar Rewards really to help people get more involved with the school,” student council member Georgette Galvez-Cuesta said. “It’s another way to encourage more engagement and give people fun activities to be excited about within our school community.”
It also serves as a chance to win spirit points for your class, which has historically proven to be an effective incentive. But beyond the obvious reasons behind implementing initiatives like this, you may find yourself wondering: what is the real value of school spirit? Why should you participate? And what are the potential benefits if you do?
In our school community, sisterhood has always been a major theme. As freshmen, one of the first pieces of advice we were given was to “get involved”. To participate in whatever we could, and truly make our high school experience our own. Of course, that’s subjective. We all took it to mean different things; for some of us, that’s joining a sport or club, for others it’s starting your own service project. But perhaps the most simple form of student engagement is just enjoying yourself at school sponsored events, pep rallies, or most notably, OLLA Fest.
“I think that participating in activities allows you to interact with other students”, junior Michaela Maffei said. “Especially when you’re new to the school, it’s great to forge new relationships with classmates, because school’s so much better with people to share it with.”
Sure enough, statistics show that engagement directly correlates to factors such as confidence, leadership, and overall academic success. According to a survey conducted by Varsity Brands, 75% of students with higher levels of school spirit perform above average in school. Forbes cites a Gallup poll which states that engaged students are “2.5 times more likely to say they do well in school and are 4.5 times more hopeful about their futures than their disengaged peers.”
However, there has been a statistically proven decline in student engagement from middle school through high school. Studies show that only about a third of high school students reported high levels of involvement within their school.
As a school that prides itself on nurturing young women and ensuring excellence, it’s no wonder why we are encouraged to bond through sisterhood. By supporting our school, we give support to those that make up our student body. This, in turn, instills a sense of confidence and pride in the bond we share with each other.
“It feels so great to have the support of my friends at my races,” cross-country runner Kylie Fernandez said. “It helps me push and want to do my best in front of everyone there who came to support me.”
Everyone’s experience in school looks different, but sisterhood is one of the many unique ties that bind us together. Lifting each other up is the very essence of sisterhood and community. And just as our school supports us and our achievements, we are encouraged to support one another.
