Annually, Plant hosts multiple spirit weeks to boost students’ engagement for a particular event. This year the first spirit week occurred during the week of Oct. 6. Spirit week coincided with the homecoming football game, Panther Prowl and the homecoming dance. Each day offered a different theme students could dress up for and use creativity to make it their own.
Teachers vs. Students
The week kicked off on Monday with the theme of teachers versus students. Teachers were encouraged to dress in the styles that many students typically choose today, while students had the opportunity to dress like their favorite teachers. This theme aimed to engage teachers more actively, not just the students, and served as a reminder that their individual styles as well as their persona do not go unnoticed.
Brooke Cohen (11) and Tristan Sears (11) dressed up as Richard Ferlita, their precalculus teacher. “I decided to dress as Mr. Ferlita because he has such a unique and recognizable style, and he’s also a really good teacher,” Cohen said. “I thought it would be funny and a great way to show appreciation for him.”
“I wore boots, jeans, camo, and a button-up — basically his signature look,” Cohen said.
“Mr. Ferlita said he was honored and really happy that people dressed up like him. He seemed genuinely excited to see students actually dressing as teachers, which was exactly how I thought he’d react.” Sears said.
Camo Day
The following day, the Plant community was asked to dress in all-camouflage outfits. In recent years, it has become a popular trend on many social media apps, such as TikTok and Instagram, to dress in camouflage for no particular reason. Therefore, by taking up this theme, many students were able to be included through pre-made purchases.
Some teachers, such as Mrs. Drumsta and Mr. Meyer, took it to a new level by dressing in full-body camouflage suits. This made many students laugh in the hallways and was even posted on the official TV Production Instagram page.
On Wednesday we wear PINK
Next, the assigned theme was all pink wear for the day. Similar to the camo theme, this is easy for the community to accomplish and adds some movie fun by tying into the well-known “Mean Girls” movie. Coincidence or not, it is currently breast cancer awareness month, so it can raise awareness for that cause, as their official color is pink. Unfortunately, this theme also fell on the official PSAT day, so many students chose to wear more comfortable outfits that weren’t necessarily pink.
Jenise Gorman was among many of the teachers who wanted to participate, however she ran into some difficulties.
“I was so excited for Spirit Week, and the day I was looking forward to the most was Pink Day,” Gorman said. “But I ended up getting sick and couldn’t actually dress up. I had the cutest outfit planned — pink Lulu joggers, a ‘So Fetch’ shirt, pink Nikes, a pink headband and pink accessories. It was perfect, and I was so sad I couldn’t wear it. But honestly, Pink Day was still my favorite theme. And Mean Girls is definitely a top ten movie for me.”
BBQ Dad Vs. Soccer Mom
On Thursday, students participated in BBQ Dad vs. Soccer Mom Day for Spirit Week, dressing as either stereotypical “dads” in Hawaiian shirts, aprons and baseball caps or “soccer moms” in leggings, sweatshirts, and iced coffee cups. The theme created a clear contrast between the two styles and made it easy for everyone to join in—whether they went all out or just added a small touch—showing strong student participation throughout the day.
Gold and Black
At the end of the week, the whole school showed their spirit by dressing in black and gold, Plant’s school colors. The homecoming game against Wharton was that night and dressing in school colors helped build excitement and support for the game and the events later that evening. Black and gold also matched the football game’s theme, making it convenient for students to participate.
Mrs. Chowning’s Class Competition
For the first time ever, Mrs. Chowning held a class competition during Spirit Week to encourage students to show school spirit and participate in the themed days. One student shared their experience:
“As a student, I participated every day, wearing a Dr. Chowning–inspired outfit on Monday, a camo crew neck on Tuesday, a pink hoodie on Wednesday, a soccer mom outfit on Thursday, and a black and gold outfit on Friday,” said Camilla Arcadu (10). “Winning felt relieving because the competition was so close, and it definitely made me more engaged in Spirit Week, knowing my classmates relied on everyone participating. The class was rewarded with a party the following Friday, complete with pizza and sweets. I also noticed that Black and Gold Day had the most participation because nearly everyone owns black or Plant merchandise, making it easy for all students to get involved, with Pink Day coming in a close second.”
Spirit Week at Plant successfully brought the school together and built excitement for the homecoming game and dance. The daily themed activities encouraged students and teachers to participate, boosting energy and engagement throughout the week. Events like Mrs. Chowning’s class competition motivated students to show their school spirit, while dressing in black and gold on Friday helped hype the crowd for the football game. Overall, Spirit Week created a sense of unity and anticipation, setting the stage for a memorable homecoming celebration.
