Imagine this, your school is having a state send-off and the students who are gathering to cheer on the team are on their phones, chatting amongst themselves and some are facing the wrong direction. There are only about 45 people clapping along to the school song out of the hundreds of students in the school. I would diagnose this school with a lack of school spirit. This plague is affecting schools all over the country including Kimberly High School. School spirit is essential for the success and wellness of students.
Defining School Spirit
School spirit can be defined in many different ways, such as participation in school sponsored events, wearing school colors, being supportive of sport, arts and/or academic teams. Another definition of school spirit could be having enthusiasm for one's school. But my favorite definition of school spirit is a sense of pride that students, teachers, and community members feel towards the school.
The Role of School Spirit in Student Engagement
While it may seem that school spirit and students attending school sponsored events are the same thing, it is not. School event attendance is much higher when students have higher amounts of school spirit. These events could include assemblies, dances, clubs, and extracurricular activities. When youth have a strong sense of pride for their school, they become more engaged and more likely to become leaders in their school.
Impact on Academic Achievement
The positive effect of school spirit and school studies is remarkable. Students are more engaged when they have school spirit. A study was done with about 1,500 high school students, parents, and principals who were asked about school pride, academics, self-esteem and community involvement. This study showed that 75% of those who have high school spirit have above average grades. Students who have high levels of school spirit tend to have better grades because they feel more motivation to perform better for their school.
Benefits for Sports Programs
Sports and school pride go hand in hand. Sports create a place where students can be actively engaged in supporting their peers, producing feelings of unity and camaraderie. While being engaged isn’t only beneficial for spectators, it motivates athletes to perform at their best, and they feel like they matter. Overall, if students are supportive of sports teams they perform better.
Mental Health and Well-being
School spirit not only affects students' academic success, but it also affects their mental health and well-being. The Varsity Brands stated that “those with a great deal of school spirit are more confident (91%), are more likely to be leaders (90%), are happier (88%), are more active in their communities (87%), and are more fulfilled (73%).” Having a sense of school spirit can allow students to feel connected and valued. This connection can give students opportunities to create lasting friendships and memories. In essence, school spirit can foster a positive school environment that supports the mental health of young adults.
Strategies to Create School Spirit
Creating a school and community that has school spirit isn’t an overnight process, but the initiative must be taken for school spirit to develop. Some ideas to boost school spirit could be organizing pep rallies, creating school traditions, and encouraging student leadership. While these ideas may be helpful, the only way for students to become school spirited is to have the desire.
Conclusion
While having school spirit may seem insignificant and unimportant, it has many benefits. Students perform better academically when they have school spirit. Sports teams’ outcomes are improved. Schools are united when they have school spirit. The mental health of students is improved when they have school spirit. So, let's start building a better school and work together to establish school spirit.