Excitement levels were high at Loyola the week of Sep. 9, 2024 as the Ramblers got ready for homecoming by celebrating Spirit Week.
Spirit Week consisted of many elements, ranging from dress down themes to games during flex. The theme for homecoming was Candyland, so many of these elements were centered around that theme.
Homecoming and Spirit Week were planned by the Loyola Academy Student Council. They began brainstorming ideas last May in order to be fully prepared. Student Council members voted on the dance theme and chose dress down days and flex activities from there.
“We try to create themes and activities that are novel and exciting, but also not too complicated,” Student Council Member Annie Atwood said.
The first day of Spirit Week was Maroon & Gold Monday. This kicked off the tone for the week because everyone showed their school spirit by dressing in Loyola gear.
Mr. Jarvis, a counselor at Loyola, said that Tuesday’s theme of Big League Chew Jersey Day was his favorite day. “I appreciate how it gave students an opportunity to express themselves in a fun way,” Jarvis said.
During flex on Tuesday, students were given the opportunity to taste different flavors of jelly beans. Some were delicious, while others were flavors such as toothpaste or liver and onions. Students that got bad flavors were good sports, saying that they still enjoyed the game.
Wednesday’s flex activity was a candy relay, and it was a fan favorite. Students raced to complete a candy puzzle, and the winners were given bags of candy.
“I had an amazing time,” senior Catherine Bransfield said. “Everyone was very competitive knowing there was a prize.”
Atwood also felt that the candy relay was the most exciting flex activity, but she said that Wednesday’s theme of Firecracker Popsicle Red, White & Blue day was the most boring out of all the themes.
With Thursday came Skittles Taste The Rainbow Day. Many students, including Bransfield, were most drawn to this theme. Each grade was given a color to wear, creating quite the rainbow in the hallways.
Teachers were told to dress in the color of their favorite grade, which proved hard for teachers who didn’t want to favor anyone.
Mr. Jarvis taught two sophomore classes that day, so he decided to wear green to represent them.
Friday’s theme was Peppermint Patty White Out. Teachers and students alike both found this to be the worst theme. It ended up not being a total white out, as most people wore only one piece of white clothing due to not having the proper attire in their closet.
Throughout the week, members from Student Council were selected to choose the best dressed in their grade and award them with a candy prize.
“It was so much fun,” Bransfield, who gave out prizes on Thursday, said. “The best dressed always had the best attitude about spirit week.”
Also, teachers were invited to send in a picture of their second period class. The most in theme class from each day will be treated to donuts sometime next week.
Mr. Jarvis entered four classes into the competition, but never came out on top.
Each morning, Student Council members stood in the piazza to collect donations for the Ignatian Service Learning Pantry. Students who donated were entered into a raffle to pie a teacher in the face at the pep rally.
The pep rally was at the end of the day on Friday. Along with the pie, there were also competitions, performances from Cheer, Poms, and Step Team, and lots of singing and dancing.
“The energy level was higher than previous rallies, which was great to see,” Jarvis said. He felt that the pep rally was a success.
The pep rally marked the end of Spirit Week. Though, that weekend there was a home football game as well as the actual Homecoming Dance, so spirit and excitement stayed high.
