Stress and nerves from homework, missed assignments, and exams were completely forgotten as MLEC students went all out for Spirit Week. This year’s Spirit Week was unforgettable, with groups of students matching for Squad Goals Day, dressing up as their favorite character for Hollywood Day, taking a blast to the past for Decades Day, and snuggling up in their pajamas for Onesie Day.
And, of course, the week concluded with every student decked out in their respective class colors from head to toe for Color Wars and the first Pep Rally of the year.
Let’s just say that this year’s Spirit Week was one for the books!
“This whole week was pretty fun. When I first saw the list of themes for the days, I thought, ‘These don’t seem that good’ but it turned out a lot better than I expected. Probably the best Spirit Week ever for me,” said Adrian Betancourt, a senior, whose friends donned Monokuma-inspired onesies from the Japanese series Danganronpa.
“The best day was definitely Onesie Day. Again, I was like ‘Onesies? Who owns a Onesie?’ But so many people came dressed up. I especially appreciated the 20 people who came dressed up in Winnie the Pooh onesies.”
However, being able to dress out of uniform and embrace the week’s themes, was not the only spirited event available to students at the school. There were various events for students to participate in during lunchtime; ranging from three-legged races to students lining up to vote for homecoming court.
Students’ hearts were filled with excitement and jitteriness as they waited, huddled together in front of Building Three, for the results to be counted and announced at the Pep Rally on Thursday.
All of these events contributed to the illustrious Homecoming Pep Rally celebration. There were games, fun, Homecoming court presentations, and overall joy. The Homecoming Pep Rally was in a league of its own, as all MLEC jaguars, from staff to students to administration, came out in full force.
“There was so much planning that went into everything, so it’s amazing that everything came together for such a good turnout,” said Laura Castellanos, the SGA Treasurer. “I and my other class officers worked together to make sure everyone had a great time and just by how everyone was shouting and representing their class colors — I think we did exactly that.”
At the Pep Rally, there was something to look forward to at every turn, from the Jaguettes’ dazzling and eye-catching performances, to the Kit-Kats coming in and shutting down the show with their ground-shaking moves. You can’t say the MLEC Jaguars don’t know how to bust a move!
The Tug of War competitions followed the synchronized dances, pitting class against class in a grueling display of collective strength and teamwork. When it came down to the finals, this year’s competition had a shocking outcome: Seniors vs. Freshmen. It was a close call — a really close call. Until the seniors’ defense crumbled and the freshmen class of 2025 came away with a victory.
“They definitely didn’t expect us to come in and win the way we did. They were booing us because we’re the freshmen… just for us to come in and win anyway,” said Leavester Francois, a Tug of War participant on the 9th-grade team.
This year’s Spirit Week and Pep Rally was not only a return to normalcy, but also a time for students to create long-lasting memories and joy-filled moments with their friends and peers that they will remember for years to come.
