Seniors: Are you upset about losing the Spirit Stick? Want another chance to win? If so, I have a message for you. You won’t want to miss this.

The legend of the spirit stick has been a constant conversation topic among the seniors of Leonardtown High School. It is revered as a symbol of power and status throughout the halls. It’s status is so cherished, that for many years in the past, it’s been stolen by students after the pep rally. This year’s seniors have waited with anticipation for their final year of high school to show their spirit and win that stick. They set out their dinosaur suits and red tights and tutus in excited anticipation of their last Leonardtown High School spirit week. But on October 19th, 2018, for the first time in eight years, the juniors triumphed over the seniors and snatched the Spirit Stick from the seniors’ grasp.

Many of the seniors were devastated and some were even enraged. But they were angry at the wrong person. I heard lots of angry rants and whispers in the hallway about their frustration. They all thought they deserved the win. So I started to dig and asking around. But what I found, even I wasn’t expecting. What many people don’t know is that Mrs. Mills doesn’t have anything to do with the point system.

I was under the same impression, and asked her for an interview in order to get a feel for how the system worked throughout the week. When I interviewed her, she had some interesting little bits of information.

The last time the seniors didn’t win the Spirit Stick was in 2011 when the juniors, once again, flew to the top of the scoreboard. There was quite a bit of controversy about it then as well. The difference this time is that many of this year’s seniors were under the impression that it was supposedly “tradition” for the seniors to win the spirit stick. Their winning streak had been so long that winning the spirit stick seemed to be a given. But what would be the fun in that? “If it is tradition” Mrs. Mills says, “and you didn’t earn it, is the value [of the spirit stick] still the same?” And she’s right. It’s meant to be a competition, not a graduation gift.

But she also mentioned two events taking place later in the year when the seniors could win competitions of just as much prestige and value as the spirit stick.

Yes, you read that right. This year there will be two more opportunities for the classes to win a class-wide competition similar to the spirit stick. The first event we talked about was the Raider Cup, which began last year. Since they won last year as juniors, the seniors have an opportunity this year to have their names on the Raider Cup two years in a row. They could be the first of very few classes who are able to achieve this.

But the second event is new and will actually take place in the winter, before the Raider Cup in the Spring. The second event she mentioned is called “Winter Spirit Week.” Last week, the Principal’s Advisory Committee voted to hold a festive winter spirit competition. This spirit week will take place the week before the Snowball dance. The festivities will be very similar to the Homecoming spirit week. There will be themes, opportunities to dress up, and competitive games to accumulate points. They could be the very first class to win this new spirit challenge.

Seniors, here is your message: take the school by storm! Pick yourselves up off the ground and give these next events your all. Show the school how much spirit you’ve got and don’t let any other class walk away with that stick or that cup.

But maybe this time let’s do it with a little bit more decorum. “Boo”ing the other classes is not very classy. Let’s not do that again. Or, you know, throw stuff at them. Or shout obscenities at them. Or take your shirts off. Let’s just win because you’re winners and you’re ready for the competition.

Let’s blow them away.