“You could travel the world

But nothing comes close to the Golden Coast

Once you party with us

You’ll be fallin’ in love

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-”

As Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” cuts off, the class of 2028 continues, “California girls, we’re unforgettable.” Students jump to the beat of the music, singing the chorus in unison and pushing in towards the microphone. The bleachers rumble with the excitement of the crowd, kinetic energy pumping through the sophomores’ corner. ASB passes the microphone towards the freshmen, where they carry on the spirit with their enthusiastic sing-along, and then to the seniors. 

However, towards the back of the bleachers, where numerous people congregate, the voices are quiet. Several students avoid the fray altogether. Outside the gym, hundreds station themselves throughout the rally court and in classrooms, working on homework and studying for tests, swept up in Monta Vista’s academic fervor.

According to junior and spirit commissioner Allie Rummelhoff, planning spirit events like the Welcome Back Rally and HoCo requires considerable commitment, with the activity schedule being determined a full year in advance and planning happening over the summer. However, many students overlook the effort that truly goes into them, with almost 50 percent of 130 students reporting in a survey that they rarely or never participate in school events.

The academic rigor at MVHS plays a large role in students’ lack of participation. High academic standards are a key identifier of MVHS’ culture — even only a few weeks into the school year, students work late nights, cramming for the numerous tests and working through extensive material. Oftentimes, students have extracurriculars or conflicting schedules that prevent them from being able to enjoy the events. As a result, spirit events tend to fall lower on the priority list.

Sophomore Sofia Grigolia, who has attended every rally since ninth grade, observed this effect in her peers’ recent rally involvement. She noted that her classmates tend to avoid participating in rally events, contributing to an overall lack of school spirit.

In an attempt to boost engagement, ASB students advocate for their classmates’ suggestions. However, restrictions in the production process prevent certain ideas and events from coming to fruition. These include constraints in budgeting or concerns about safety, which restrict the viability of certain attractions, such as the mechanical bull that took some debating before eventually being implemented at the Wild-West-themed Welcome Back dance. Additionally, ASB especially struggles with attendance for newer events, where students are hesitant to commit time to an occasion they aren’t familiar with. 

Given the substantial amounts of money ASB spends, student engagement is crucial for financial success, especially with declining enrollment threatening to tighten budgets. Much of the funding for spirit events comes from ASB card sales. However, ASB has had to rethink spending regarding yearbooks and student activities in accordance with lower population numbers. 

As a result of these challenges, adviser Kenneth Gan and the Leadership class have experimented with low-stakes ways to boost engagement by providing more opportunities to contribute, including Homecoming spirit shirt contests and food events. These kinds of activities are a way to bring the spirit to students without requiring them to go out of their way to attend events. 

“It was on Wednesday of the first week of school when the leadership students provided ice cream,” Gan said. “We thought, ‘let’s do something where we can still create that welcoming environment, but all they have to do is show up. Low stakes. And even if they don’t know about the event, they see a big crowd in the rally court, and all of a sudden they get a free Otter Pop in their hand.’ It’s a mixture of ‘what can we do to provide to the student body to create spirit,’ as well as ‘what can we ask of students to create spirit?’”

Rummelhoff observed that enthusiasm for these events tends to dip at the end of second semester, as students lose interest. While participating in spirit events can take time away from studying for AP tests and finals, Rummelhoff notes that there are benefits to spirit events that students often overlook. Grigolia noticed that, while attending rallies, she could take her mind off her work. These moments give students the opportunity to recharge, not only promoting stronger mental health but also allowing students to return with more energy and focus.

“I think spirit events take away some of the stress from the average high school experience,” Grigolia said. “Being able to go do something fun during tutorial means you don’t have to constantly be thinking about your next class or the homework you have. Overall, they add a good part to my high school experience.”

As organizers of these events, Rummelhoff and Gan both find joy in creating community. For Rummelhoff, planning and participating in spirit events is a way for her to connect with her grade, make new friends and build closer relationships. To her, one of the most rewarding things is seeing her classmates come together to create and present intricate performances. Gan echoes a similar sentiment, finding the most fulfillment in helping students create memories.

“High school is such a unique experience — to be able to be with your classmates for multiple years, to be with your friends and to create these potential memories that could potentially last a lifetime,” Gan said. “Ultimately, one of the main reasons why I love being a Leadership Adviser is being able to really provide these events to create this purpose, to create this community that hopefully everyone in the whole school will have the opportunity to have fun and make those memories.”

As ASB promotes, with the constant buzz of academics and extracurriculars at MVHS, spirit events are meant to create space for students to enjoy themselves. For the rest of the school year and beyond, Rummelhoff hopes to continue providing these opportunities to students. 

“You usually are not seeing your classmates making a fool of themselves on the stage and just letting go of all the stress and all the pressure,” Rummelhoff said. “It’s a very stress-relieving thing to just let go and socialize and not worry about being judged. We are trying to provide a safe social environment and have this sense of community. That’s our main goal.”