April 25, 2008 Vol. 36 Issue 13
Editorial: Possible solutions suggested for lacking
spirits
By Bethany Wolverton, sr.
Feature Editor
Despite the overall success of our school’s sports and
academics this year, our student body continues to lack in school spirit.
It is upsetting when the cheers of Cubs’ fans during our home football
game are drowned out by the visiting crowd’s roar.
Most schools have a designated student section full of loud and crazy supporters,
sporting their school colors on their clothes, shoes, even on their face and
hair. Student sections are very important because a lot of the spirit of the
crowd is derived from the students. It is our responsibility as students to
get the rest of the crowd pumped up, not only to boost the spirits of the
sports team or display our town pride, but also for the respect of the cheerleaders.
Cheerleaders put a lot of their time and energy into learning cheers for the
crowd. They rule pep rallies, decorate the Sweetheart Dance, make posters,
throw out crowd pleasers during games, and choose spirit week themes.
While our cheerleaders do a great job of displaying school spirit, our students
fail to do the same. The big question is why does this generation of students
fail to participate in school spirit? What can the school do to get more people
involved?
This year photography students had a hard time getting pictures of students
dressed up on spirit week. Some students say they did not participate because
they did not like the spirit themes that were chosen; others say that they
just do not care to participate.
Cartoon By Haley Huffman
and Bethany Wolverton
In order to get people to participate, the cheerleaders asked
the students for theme ideas. Nobody really spoke up on ideas so obviously
the cheerleaders choices are not the real problem.
In other schools, spirit week is made into a competition. Dress-up themes
are made up for each day of the week. At the beginning of first hour, teachers
tally up how many students from each grade participate.
Each grade is given a different color or pattern to display on Friday, and
they each get a section of the gym to decorate in their color. Students group
up with their class members and paint their entire bodies, make flags, use
noise makers and yell class chants at each other through the hallways.
At the end of the day the pep rally begins and judges award a spirit stick
to the loudest and most spirited class. The winning class receives a prize
and bragging rights.
We believe that if our school would make spirit week more of a competition,
more people would join together as a class to participate. This would also
make for a larger turnout at the games, because students are getting pumped
at school the day of the game.
(Pro) Students should take
initiative to improve spirit
By Megan Dillow, jr.
Reporter
When people show up at our games it becomes obvious that the
Cubs are lacking in school spirit. We should be proud of the colors we wear,
and when we are walking into the big game or even just down the street, people
should be able to say, “That kid definitely has to be a Humboldt Cub.”
To improve our school spirit we should do a few simple things that will get
everybody to participate.
First, we could make up a simple school cheer that everyone could get involved
in and practice it before each game with a pep rally run by the amazing cheerleaders.
We could cheer the cheer after every game as a united community, win or lose,
to show that we are proud of our players and our school.
We should have a blackout day on every game day and our seminar teachers could
chart our participation, and at the end of every month the students who wore
orange or black or both on game day’s would get to have a fun day where
they would get to go to pizza for lunch and practice more school spirit.
Another way to produce more school spirit is to have a class competition.
Students could compete in various ways each week and then in a big competition
at the end of the year. The class with the most points when school ends could
either get a party or an early release.
There needs to be a marked student section at games, a small area marked off
so that the students are smashed together so they have no choice but to stand
up, get into the game, and cheer extremely loud.
It really is not that hard; so let’s stand strong and be proud of our
great colors to help make our school a more fun place to be.
(Con) Sufficient
amount of spirit already exists
By Alexis Hosack, so.
News Editor
School spirit is an excellent thing to have. Sporting events
are always more fun if the crowd is pumped, but we do not really need more
school spirit.
How can anyone say that we do not have enough school spirit? We have all
been to the football and basketball games decked out in our orange and black
attire. Some students have even painted themselves in our school colors
at these events.
Although there was not a huge response to spirit week, a lack of Humboldt
pride is not completely to blame. Some of the themes chosen for spirit week
did not get much response because students either could not dress for them
or the themes themselves were not very motivating.
The games this year have been spectated with just as much enthusiasm as
any other year. If there appears to be a decrease in volume at basketball
games, one has to take into consideration that our new gym is much larger
than our old gym, and there is not as much of an echo to increase the sound.
It is also important for people to consider what too much school spirit
can do. School spirit is good, but overdoing it is a bit cliché.
Spirit week is fun, but it is good that we only have one each semester.
Although students are showing off their Cub spirit, many teachers find that
it breaks their focus in the classroom. Spirit week gives the student body
not only a chance to dress goofy, but also to act goofy. Kids should focus
on their work in the classroom instead of how they are going to deck out
the next day.
School spirit is vital to keep the school and the community thriving, but
we need to keep it in proportion.
Review: Disappointed by corniness
of Kingdom
By Michelle Sollars, sr.
Opinion Editor
I recently went to see The Forbidden Kingdom. I got my snacks
and was ready for a great show. I walked into the theater, found a seat, and
prepared for an amazing time.
I was so excited to watch this movie because it had two of my favorite Asian
actors in it, Jet Li as the Silent Monk and the Monkey King, and Jackie Chan
as Lu Yan and the Old Hop.
It also had Michael Angarano, who was the main character in Sky High, as Jason
Tripitikas so it had to be good.
Let’s just say, I was really let down.
The beginning of the movie was packed with action, but then it went to the
main character, then it was time for me to take a much needed nap. Although
there were things about the film that were slightly funny or catchy, it was
not all the previews had been made it out to be.
If this movie were rated on a scale from one to 10 on corniness, it would
definitely take a 10 easily. Now I am not saying that the movie was horrible,
but if you do not enjoy corny movies, this probably is not the best flick
for you.
At the Movies. Showtimes
for Apr. 25
Information compiled by
Michelle Sollars, sr.
From www.bbtheatres.com
Roxy Cinema 4 Chanute |
Sterling Six Cinemas Iola |
|
Leatherheads (PG-13) 4:15, 7:05, 9:30 Nim’s Island (PG) 4:05, 6:45, 9:00 Drillbit Taylor (PG-13) 4:25, 6:55, 9:20 (no passes) Never Back Down (PG-13) 4:10, 6:50, 9:25 The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (NR) Tickets now on sale! Purchase tickets at the box office or online! Opens 5/16/08. |
The Forbidden Kingdom (PG-13) 4:00, 7:05, 9:35 (no passes) Forgetting Sarah Marshall (R) 4:15, 7:05, 9:30 Prom Night (PG-13) 4:20, 7:10, 9:10 |
Leatherheads (PG-13) 4:05, 6:45, 9:00 Nim’s Island (PG) 4:05 21 (PG-13) 4:10, 6:50, 9:25 Drillbit Taylor (PG-13) 6:55, 9:20 |
How do you think students can help improve school spirit?
 |
 |
Drake Tilman, sr.,“We have
enough school spirit. We don’t need to improve at all.”
|
Callie Umholtz, jr.,“I
think if students stop thinking of how dumb or stupid people seem getting
involved, then they’d actually see how fun it is.”
|
 |
 |
Cameron Chambers, so., “Students can improve school spirit by wearing school colors more and attending all school events.” |
Brandi Malloy, fr.,
“I think if people would at least pretend to be pumped
about school events, then they would get into it a little and find out
how fun it
really is to get fired up.” |
 |
|
Mrs. Wilkerson, |
|
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