We have always struggled with school spirit. The attendance at football games is sometimes pitiful and a lot of times it is easier to track down your peers at Starbucks than it is at a Fanatic Fest break. Yet this year, in the spirit of community, the Prefect Council, the head Fanatics and the Social Comittee worked together to create a memorable Fanatic Fest.
Maybe it was the combination of intensity building throughout Spirit Week and an incredible showing of talent by our football team on Saturday night, but the moment we crowded around our team to celebrate this upset victory, we were, for once, one completely unified community. This moment wasnât created randomly, but rather the product of hard work. The Prefects worked throughout the week with the Fanatics, each group reminding us about the theme days with nightly e-mails. Yes, the theme days got off to a rough start, but by the break of â80s day, the usually school spirit challenged Upper School community had turned into a crowd of students dancing to “Footloose” in the quad.
Between the Prefects and Social Committee members handing out scrunchies next to the Diddy Reese cookies, and the Fanaticsâ energy, it seemed as though this yearâs Fanatic Fest was actually turning into an Upper School bonding opportunity. Though the break ran well into classes, disturbing some faculty members, the very idea that Harvard-Westlake students were all actually involved in a community activity was nothing short of revolutionary.
While the Prefect Council apologized for the inconvenience caused by the music running late, their part in adding to the schoolâs sense of community is commendable, not regrettable.
The last day of the Spirit Week included a dunk contest with music blaring in the background, and the crowd went wild when Upper School Dean Canh Oxelson jumped onto the dodgeball court.
This yearâs Fanatic Fest succeeded in what many Fanatic Fests before had failed to do.
The efforts of at least three different student organizations saw to the successful unification of the Upper School campus and thatâs something to be admired.
