Lauren Hannani staff writer
In honor of breast cancer awareness month, pink united students every day this week, ultimately leading to 62 percent of students wearing the color on Wednesday.
After the cheer team planned to have tonight’s football game specifically called the “pink game” to support breast cancer awareness, ASB decided to dedicate a whole week to the cause in order to spread awareness and spirit within the school.
“ASB and staff encouraged students to wear pink to comfort people who are battling this cancer, in hopes of showing people that they or their relatives or friends don’t have to fight this on their own,” senior ASB member Greta Voci said. “We wanted to express our support and make a point that there’s always someone who cares and is willing to do their ultimate best to be there and give their helping hand.”
Although students were the first ones mainly encouraged to participate, teachers and the rest of the staff also became involved in pink week by promising to either dye their hair pink or wear a pink wig if 60 percent or more students wore pink on Wednesday.
“Within a matter of two days, it went from Ms. Rowley saying she’ll dye her hair pink to 13 or 14 [staff members] in the school who are willing to dye their hair pink or wear a pink wig on Friday as long as we get the 60 percent,” ASB teacher Jennifer Goolsby said.
The first staff member who made this deal, college counselor Casey Rowley, decided to risk dying her hair pink since she wanted to spread school spirit and increase positivity around campus.
“I am a huge advocate for campus spirit and pride in anything that is really going to put the school on a path of positive community-type feel,” Rowley said. “I think it’s really important for us to band together, whether it’s for a cause or a football game or a club, since it’s going on on campus. If I can get involved and help more students get spirited, then I’m happy to do whatever. Except shave my head.”
Apart from also wanting to make students more spirited, Goolsby hopes that weeks like these make the high school experience more enjoyable for everybody.
“One of my personal goals is to to make high school more fun for students to be here during the daytime,” Goolsby said. “If you enjoy going to school because of the other things happening at school, then it’s a little bit less tortuous to be sitting around in class all day.”
Since over 60 percent of students wore pink on Wednesday, ASB is very pleased with the results of this spirit week.
“It truly shows a common front. We love seeing as much spirit as possible from students and teachers at spirit weeks, especially during our school’s renovation since it’s sometimes hard to feel united,” Voci said. “But these spirit days make students enthusiastic and also connects them to the staff. It’s fun for everyone, and the immense participation truly made this week memorable.”
With that in mind, don’t be surprised if you see your teacher with pink hair next week!