DOWNEY – The spirit of rivalry has once again emerged between the two local high schools, Downey and Warren, evinced by the traditional spirit-building week of events and activities preceding the big rivalry football game.

Spirit week began on Monday and will end with the Downey vs. Warren game tonight at Warren High School’s football stadium. As the avid student body populations of both schools were eager to quench their insatiable thirst for the victory at this annual rivalry game, spirit week furthermore advocated the competitive atmosphere while encouraging student participation.

“I always look forward to spirit week because every day that I dress up is a part of the countdown to the Downey-Warren game,” said Stephanie Depaz. At Warren High School, students were seen dressing up in correspondence to each day’s theme, which had summarily been decided upon and announced by the student council.

On Monday, students showed up at school in their pajamas, glad to be in warm and comfortable clothes on a murky day. Tuesday was “Scrabble Day”, as students congealed into groups and coordinated a word they would spell out, in their outfits. But above all, the spirit day that students enjoyed the most was “Downey Dork Day”, where Warren students emulated their Downey rivals by dressing up in Downey High School colors and attire. Rubber ducks from the strings of many a Warren student this day, as a sort of talisman in hopes of conjuring up a victory for the big game.

At lunchtime on Thursday, an unwonted lunchtime activity was set up, called “Duck-Tape the Teacher”, where four brave volunteer teachers on campus allowed themselves to be duct-taped to a wall. The teachers were also dissembled in “Viking gear”, with a Viking hat and Downey outfits overtly contributing to the theme of “Downey Dork Day”.

Then of course, there is Friday, Spirit Day, where students show their bear pride by wearing blue and gold, and other school attire. In addition to dressing up, a pep rally was also held during school on Friday, in another attempt to rally up student spirit. During the pep assembly, students articulated their acquisitive yearnings for a victory over Downey High School. It seems that Warren is intransigent about a victory this year; a defeat is absolutely unacceptable.

Similarly, the spirit week at Downey consisted of dress-up days and activities to promote student participation and unifying spirit for the rivalry game. Monday was “Retro Day”, where students dressed up in past styles, particularly as greasers and 80’s fashion.

On Tuesday, students dressed up as their favorite celebrities during “Celeb Look-Alike Day”. Thursday, another favorite, was “Warren Wimp Day” as Downey students cavorted around in Warren colors and attire, imitating their version of a feckless Warren rival. Finally, on Friday, the Vikings showed their school pride by wearing school colors and Downey gear.

Downey also held their traditional before-the-game pep rally to pump up students.

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Published: November 13, 2009 - Volume 8 - Issue 30