For the past month only one thing has been fueling my mind and body: the upcoming school dance at Rockbridge County Highschool (RCHS). Since I found out that RCHS was going to host this dance, I woke up every morning with a joy in my soul so uncontrollable I would start my day by jumping up and down in front of my bathroom mirror. I was careful leading up to the dance to save as much money as I could, which is funny because I only needed five dollars, but nonetheless, I needed to be sure I could make it. I wanted to go so badly I was even willing to attend despite the fact my mom’s pregnancy due date is at the very time the dance was going to take place. However, my soul has been crushed like an unwanted rose by my fellow students at RCHS.

From the time this dance was planned it was controversial. The Student Council Association (SCA) had planned to do the dance on Valentines Day, which brought upon problems of its own. In addition students complained last year about the formal nature of dance so the SCA catered to the pleas of the students and made the dance anything but formal. They switched the theme to Cowboys and Aliens, but the students complained again. This time they said the dance was too informal so the SCA switched the theme back to formal.

When the week of the dance came I was second to sign up. Days passed and I returned to check the progress of the attendance sheet. Eleven People. The only thing the dance needed to happen was fifty people. There was one day left. No one else signed up.

So why care about the dance being canceled? School spirit is dead. The only way this will be changed will be if the students themselves decide to put an end to it. At the moment, the students at RCHS do not care. Students should care because the decision to not support your high school community does not stop with high school. One day we will be out in the community with one another. If we don’t interact and be friends with one another now, where will we be when we are old and gray?  What do we want to remember about our high school experience? Ask yourself this question and know that whatever your answer is, you have the power to get what you want out of high school. Hope is not lost at RCHS. I believe there will come a day when we, the student body, will come together, stand as one, and revive school spirit.