For many students, it’s been hard to believe that one of NKHS’s most-anticipated weeks, Spirit Week, is already over and done with. From Pajama Day to the Homecoming Dance, students showed off their enthusiasm and dedication to the school throughout the entire week.

While Homecoming week may seem like an easy task to pull off, Mr. Jordan Albernaz and Mrs. Heather Lebel, the advisors of the Junior Class Executive Board, both agree that they have put in “a lot of hard work” behind the scenes.

“If you get one thing done, then you find another two things that need to be done, too,” said Albernaz. There were a few things this year, though, that made planning the widely-celebrated week easier.

“The teamwork of our class board this year was strong. They made the tickets, so all we had to do was edit them,” said Lebel.

Sarah Jager, co-Vice President of the Junior Class Executive Board, seconded the notion of the challenges that go into planning homecoming. “We have to be smart about how we spend our money, and make sure everyone knows the days,” she said.

What may seem like a fun, colorful, and easy-going week is actually much more than that. Those members of the Class Executive Board, who planned it, know this more than anyone else.

Each year, the Junior Class Executive Board must decide what to change for Homecoming / Spirit Week. This year, all of NK’s students had the ability to decide, thanks to a survey sent out by PAC-Man, the Principal’s Advisory Committee for Mancieri. The survey caused a big stir, and many people were wondering why someone sent out the survey.

“We wanted to switch things up for the pep rally, but first wanted a good gauge of where everyone else stood,” said one of the PAC-Man members, who wishes to remain anonymous. “We didn’t want to make any decisions without hearing about the school’s opinion as a whole.”

The results showed that most people were more comfortable with keeping Spirit Week the same way it’s always been. Changing it, some believed, would throw off the school dynamic.

“I think there would be a stronger response [to changing Spirit Week] from the juniors and seniors than from the underclassmen just because they’ve grown accustomed to the traditions of the school,” said PAC-Man member Jake Loberti.

Even PAC-Man member Chris Santos agrees that it’s best to stick to traditions. “I prefer [Spirit Week] this way because it is how we always did things,” said Santos.

NK’s Homecoming Week this year was lively, hectic, and full of spirit. One senior, Andrea Winter, even thought it was one of the best. “This year was definitely my favorite. I’ve never seen so much energy during the pep rally,” Winter said.

Even underclassman Travis Atwood, a sophomore, echoed these feelings. “Class day this year was my favorite day,” he said. “Everyone was loud. I had a lot of fun,” he said.