School Spirit goes down for centuries. It acts as a symbol for your place of education, sport, or even class! It’s an enjoyable method to convey your pride for your school. But, where has the school spirit gone in Huntington Park High School?
There have been many opinions this year from both students and staff regarding the lack of school spirit at HP. I decided to speak with Lizeth Perez, a senior class president who exudes enthusiasm and is widely recognized as HP’s spirit. She expressed her thoughts about school spirit in HP during our interview.
“School spirit is super cool, but I do think it is kinda wack because people are so in their head but like I think they shouldn’t be,” said Perez.
Now what does this say about HP, is it simply not a vibrant school? What can genuinely bring considered pride from the students?
There aren’t many people who attend pep rallies or activities as a member of ASB. Typically, students who serve on the ASB team actually exhibit the same level of enthusiasm in the student section during football games and school events.
Perez also states, “In a way, I think the school spirit depends on grade levels, but I know seniors are going to be the first one turning up.”
We are then left with the impression that a student’s level of school spirit is mostly dependent on the class they are in. Seniors are naturally the most energetic since it’s their final year in high school. As a junior, I am aware that the 2025 class is not as enthusiastic as the senior class. This is possibly due to seniors being more excited to begin a new chapter in their lives now that the tests are over, whereas juniors have to worry about the SATs, APs, and SBACs, which definitely adds stress to coming to school.
Lisset Villasenor, a junior at Huntington Park High School, shares, “School spirit is fun, it’s just a little boring because most of the events are repetitive.”
Juniors may also feel reluctant to participate in school spirit because their peers do not, and it is difficult to be the sole person standing out. This may also apply to underclassmen.
If the school’s spirit had been demonstrated more over time, it is more likely the students would be more willing to show it. Based on observations of other educational institutions, they may have greater financial resources to fully engage students in school activities. This year, we noticed HP bringing a large inflatable football helmet for the football players to run out of, allowing students to truly interact with the game. This is different from last year in which we had almost nothing but the band’s songs to add more engagement and excitement.
In conclusion, school spirit is enjoyable and engaging, allowing students to laugh and rejoice. The school spirit in HP needs to be more present in general. Although it could depend on each grade, it should be celebrated evenly. HP has yet to improve its school spirit by investing in the students more, providing more leadership opportunities, and approving more events, but its students share the same pride and spirit.
By: Yarely Escobar, Staff Writer