Straughn students dressed as mathletes or athletes yesterday in the first of many spirit days planned by the SHS cheerleaders for the current academic year.

“We just sat down and brainstormed about all of the themes that we could do,” 11th grader Nealey Sikes said. “Then we went to the principal and had to get them approved of course.”

Sikes said that school is more enjoyable when people dress up for the spirit days.

“When everyone is dressed up it is fun,” Sikes said. “It gives everyone something to look forward to.”

11th grade cheerleader Cameron Stephens said that when the cheerleaders were talking about the spirit days they wanted to make it affordable for all students.

“That was one thing that we wanted to make sure that happened,” Stephens said. “We want everyone to participate, so making it affordable and easy was a must.”

Stephens said that spirit days are a way to get the school system pumped for football season.

“Everyone dressing up for the themed days shows that we have school spirit,” Stephens said. “It gets everyone pumped for all of the football games.”

Both girls said that their favorite day is Decade Day, when students dress in popular clothing from a past decade. Sikes said that she’ll dress up as if she were in the 50s or 80s and Stephens said that she’ll choose attire from the 50s or 60s.

Fifth grader Hunter McBride said that he dressed up as an athlete because he plays a lot of sports.

“I play football, baseball and basketball,” McBride said. “That’s why I wanted to wear my jersey today.”

McBride said that spirit day is important because students need to celebrate their school and football team.

Fifth grader Taya Newton dressed up as a mathlete because she said that it is important to make good grades.

“I think it is very important to make good grades,” Newton said. “I work very hard to make good grades and even though I am dressed as a nerd today, nobody is making fun of me because we are all dressed kind of funny.”

Newton said that spirit day is important so that the students can show Straughn spirit.

Straughn Kindergartner Emmett Meadows said that he dressed up as a soccer player because he loves sports.

“I practice football and soccer at my house,” Meadows said. “And I really like football. I’m following in my family’s footsteps of being a Straughn football player.”

When asked if he supported the Straughn High School football team, Meadows said, “I pull for Roll Tide.”

Fourth grade teacher Joyce Mitchell said that the themed days are important at the elementary school because they teach younger students the tradition of Straughn pride.

“Mrs. Older, our principal, has a saying,” Mitchell said. “’This is where the Straughn Tiger tradition begins.’ We try to instill the love of everything Straughn in these children at a very young age. That is why we play the alma mater over the loud speaker for the students to learn it now and that is why we have the visual displays in the school for the children.”

Mitchell’s son is a senior football player this year, so this year’s spirit days have a special meaning to her.

“It is bittersweet,” Mitchell said. “As a mother you always want to capture every moment because you don’t know when it will be their last. We are going to invite a lot of our family to come watch him and to support not only the players but the school.”

Straughn students will be encouraged to dress up for a theme every Thursday of football season, and to wear black and gold on Fridays.