This past week, PA held its holiday-themed “Spirit Week” from Dec. 13-17. 

Each week day had a different concept and theme.

Monday was “Ugly Sweater Day” where students were asked to don the most garish Christmas-themed attire they could find. Tuesday was “Winter Wonderland Whiteout” students were asked to come to school wearing all white.

Wednesday was “Anything But a Backpack Day, ” and PA students challenged themselves by leaving their backpacks at home and carrying their school material using a different receptacle.

Thursday was “Snowmen vs Elves Day” where students and staff came to school dressed either as a snowman or an elf. And, finally, Friday was “Cozy Day,” a day devoted solely comfortable bed-wear or other such clothing. 

Photos of some of the participants were posted on the PA Student Senate’s Instagram page where “Anything But a Backpack Day” gathered the most “likes.”

Some students singled out this day as their favorite of the week.

“My favorite part of Spirit Week was ‘Anything but a Backpack Day,’” said junior Alivia Duffy. “It was interesting. I brought a hamper.”

Fellow junior Emma Parsons agreed that “Anything but a Backpack Day” was the best day of Spirit Week. “It was something we haven’t done over and over, and it was funny to see the creative ideas of my classmates,” she said.

Other students carried their school supplies in items such as traffic cones, fishing nets, and even an air fryer substituting as a bag. 

Junior Rachael Curtis, however, preferred Friday. “My favorite was ‘Cozy Day’ because we didn’t have to dress up,” she said.

While a Spirit Week is usually held each Christmas season, it was not celebrated for last year due to remote learning, and thus 2021 marked PA’s return to the yearly tradition.