Friendship Students Star in a Special Spirit Day
On Friday, September 9, the 8th grade students at Friendship Junior High took expressing their individuality to a whole new level via a very special Spirit Day.
During the summer, the 8th grade class read the book Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, a recommended read by Dr. Steven Layne. The theme of the book is accepting and embracing individuality, even when it isn’t always easy. The Friendship 8th graders participated in a “Stargirl Caraway Day” on Friday, and both students and teachers were encouraged to proudly wear their wackiest ensembles, as the main character, Stargirl, did in the story. Students also created decorative posters for the doors of classrooms and the Learning Resource Center, with each class determining their unique theme and the design of their poster.
In the book, Stargirl arrived on her first day of school in an overly long, ruffled dress that resembled an old wedding dress and carried a ukulele. The Friendship students created their own interpretations of unusual clothes by wearing mismatched clothing and sporting accessories that meant something to them or made them appear unique. Everything from tutus, out of the ordinary makeup and hair, mismatched shoes and socks, feathers, hats, and costumes were spotted, breaking social norms of the students’ ‘usual’ clothing.
Ryan, perhaps the most unusually dressed in a hot dog costume and a shamrock hat, really embraced the day, the wacky outfits, and the true meaning of the Stargirl story. “I didn’t think a lot of other people would do it…not a lot of people really want to stand out, “ he said. “I am usually somebody who likes to stand out and be different from everyone, and this just gave me a really good chance to do it.”
8th grade teachers Kristin Hahn, Kim Biasi, Jennifer Rathamoori, Rachel Schrage and Danielle Thompson said the theme seemed to really resonate with some of the students. “In 8th grade, the kids are struggling to find their own identity as young adults, and in doing so, they are resisting the social norms, yet still trying to be themselves,” they said. “There is such strong pressure to conform at this age, and this book encourages our students to respect, appreciate, and accept others for their uniqueness.”
The staff members were very impressed by how well the students worked together to design and create their door posters, the thought put into their “costumes”, and their encouragement to classmates to participate in the spirit of the day.
8th grader Cecelia gave this explanation of her two-themed costume: “I felt it was necessary to show both aspects of my personality – the sporty girl and the very ‘girlie girl’ who likes to dress up…and I really wanted to support the idea of Stargirl.” Another student, Utsa, echoed the sentiment. “I liked the character of Stargirl and how she stood up for herself. I like to dress up, but at school I just have standard teenager clothes. This gave me a chance to really dress how I like.”
The day was a celebration of just being yourself and accepting others while having a good time, and that’s a great lesson at any age.
