Melissa Tallent, above left, Spirit Club sponsor at C.C.H.S., looks on as School Superintendent Charlotte Bernard, board member Jr. Cecil and principal Sheldon Harlan look at the hallway decorations last Wednesday that were student contributions as a part of Spirit Week. Below, a group of “nerds” made their way to the school cafeteria for class attire theme judging.

Visitors to Clinton County High School last week would have certainly made plenty of double-takes had they not been aware of a special event that went on all week long – Spirit Week.

In it’s second year, the brainchild of Spirit Club members and the club’s sponsor, Melissa Tallent, this year’s Spirit Week certainly was an indicator of just how much the student body at CCHS remembered enjoying the special week last year.

“The full fledged Spirit Week was started last year by the CCHS Spirit Club,” Tallent told the Clinton County News on Monday morning of this week while recounting the success of this year’s program. “Last year, spirit week included hallway decorating, pep rally, theme dressing, and float competition. There were only two grades that really participated but this year all grade levels actively and competitively participated in the ‘We Are Bulldogs’ theme spirit week.”

Tallent said also that this year’s Spirit Week lineup of events saw an air-band combination lip sync combination added to the pep rally activities, and proved to be one of the most enjoyed competitions of the week.

Still, Tallent said she thinks the students still enjoyed the Hall Decorating contest the most, noting that students worked to decorate the hallways during the afternoon, evening and into the night hours last Tuesday after school had let out.

“Some teachers were here very late, especially those of us who stayed with the seniors who did not leave until 12:00 a.m. – it is a tradition for the seniors to decorate their hallway last,” Tallent said. “I believe that the hallways are the best part of spirit week as it is a wonderful feeling to walk in the next morning as see all of the hard work and to see the pride and excitement on the student’s faces. Just this morning a teacher commented that they loved seeing the normally bland hallways so lively.”

And while the brightly colored hallway decorations would have certainly caught the attention of any visitors to the school, it was by no means the most visible change going on last week at the school – it was the student attire that for the most part would have received the most second looks.

“The spirit week is an opportunity for ALL to get involved and be a part of school pride especially during theme dressing which included twin day, America day, nerd day (this is one of the students favorite), pink out day (in honor of the volleyball pink out game and breast cancer awareness), and blue/white day,” Tallent said.

She added that a parade with floats constructed by the students was held in the hallways, and those floats, as well as the hall decoration efforts, were judged by members of the Superintendent’s office, faculty members and school board members.

In the competitions, students were competing for points in various categories, hoping to put their class over the top to claim the first place spot for this year’s Spirit Week.

The floats that were involved in the competition and parade, were also placed on display this past Friday night at the C.C.H.S. football game. Tallent noted that the sophomore class earned first place honors in the float competition.

“I was amazed at the work, effort, and artistic ability of our student body,”Tallent said.” John Asberry, made a 4 foot wooden bulldog head – it was cut from wood and painted; it is amazing.”

When all was said and done with the week-long series of events, it was the senior class that had secured the highest score, and a first place win, followed by the sophomore class in second, the junior class in third place, and finally, the freshman class that will receive a “Rising Star Award.”

Tallent noted that the awards will be presented to class members during a school assembly scheduled for later this week.

She said that two additional Spirit Weeks are planned for later in the school year, one to revolve around winter sports during the week of January 7-11, and a final lineup sometime in April during the season for spring sports.

“It is our hopes that this tradition continues and continues to instill pride and commandership in ALL students at CCHS,” Tallent said. “Hopefully, it will grow to include all schools within the district.”

WE ARE BULLDOGS!