By Nina Gersen, Banner Staff

A few weeks ago, I stayed at Winsor after school and ended up watching one of the Varsity Field Hockey games. A few parents from both teams, some teachers, and the head of school from the opposing team were also in attendance, but barely any other Winsor students were watching.

The Field Hockey Team played an incredible game, but watching it also reminded me of the painful lack of spirit we have as a school. Yes, some students attend a Winsor sports game once in a while, but other than those occasions and our Spirit Week, Winsor’s school spirit is incredibly low.

In the past few years, Students Advocating for School Spirit (SASS) has tried to create ways to increase our spirit such as introducing our two houses, Panthers and Jaguars, and working with Collect on incorporating more school spirit into Sibling Squads.

SASS Advisor Ms. Burke said, “Any time that there is a big change or an attempt to start a tradition, it always takes some time to get it going. For Panthers and Jaguars, we’re definitely taking steps in the right direction.”

Sibling Squads are one avenue for  school-centered connection, along with Spirit Week, regular sports games, Field Day, and Panthers versus Jaguars competitions. However, these activities aren’t truly reaping more morale.

Anaïse Saint Fleur ’29 said, “Some people dread Sibling Squads. I think the seniors and the rest of the squad need to come at it with a more positive attitude to make them enjoyable.” Events like Spirit Week and UTL have been Winsor traditions for so long that they feel comfortable to us. We look forward to them because we know exactly what to do and what to expect, and so it takes little thought to participate or take a risk by being excited about it. Participating in events like Sibling Squads, which can feel uncomfortable and awkward as it is a less liked forum, with enthusiasm is an extreme challenge for many of us, but we will not be able to increase spirit without doing so.

Ultimately, our attitude towards spirit activities is the cause of the low levels of school spirit at Winsor. In order to improve our spirit, we have to acknowledge our mindset and be willing to change. Spirit requires effort not just from SASS and the administration, but also the student body to actualize their ideas. We cannot complain about not having school spirit if we don’t put in the effort to show it. So next time Field Day rolls around, consider shedding your shame and joining in on the fun wholeheartedly!