Last school year, the new Mr. and Mrs. Olympic Heights were elected. These two Seniors represent the pride of Olympic Heights, and they are the primary motivators of our school spirit. Andrew Cantor and Gabi Condon, the new Mr. and Mrs. OH, have already begun their plan to rebrand Olympic Heights as one of the most spirited schools in Palm Beach County. 

As we all know, the 2020-2021 school year was virtual. Every class took place on a Google Meet, every student sat behind a computer, and every person at school did not feel like they were truly at school. The class of 2024 never received a true high school freshman experience. There was no spirit during virtual school, but there was one pep rally that could barely even be defined as a pep rally. Gabi and Andrew recognized the lack of spirit that year and connected it to our present spirit. The past has set a precedent for a lack of spirit, but our new Mr. and Mrs. OH have begun to override our programmed absence of spirit. 

With their election, these two have already put some great ideas forward, including a new OH Instagram page, new and never-before-seen spirit days, and new events for students to participate in. With each spirit week passing by, it is very notable that our school is becoming increasingly spirited. The recent pep rally for homecoming was the best one yet for the seniors. Ryan Sacher, a senior at Olympic Heights, mentioned that the recent pep rally was more “energized” than the usual dull pep rally. He also commented that the pep rally was more solid compared to the past pep rallies that he has attended. These recent achievements are directly correlated with the new Student Government Association for the school, as they have listened to what the students want by conducting Google form surveys.

While Andrew and Gabi’s main goal was to spark a light in the school’s spirit, both seniors noted that they wanted to create a more connected OH family. Gabi expressed that the school’s “increased social media presence” has changed the old “[lacking] school spirit in the past.” Andrew and Gabi created a new Instagram page, @barstoololympic, with the idea of creating a page that all students can relate to. The page includes memes, spirit calendars, and events that students can partake in. Andrew reiterated that this page is “a common space that all students can relate to,” which “brings the individual classes/grades closer.” Many students have shared that they have indeed laughed and enjoyed the new posts on the page – successfully making a connection between students. 

There are roughly 2,000 students enrolled at Olympic Heights. It is extremely difficult to get anywhere close to connecting 2,000 people together. Whether it is a regular day or a spirit day, a pep rally or a football game, the Olympic Heights school spirit will continue to evolve – especially with the help and motivation of the new Mr. and Mrs. OH.