NOCTILUCA May 2018

Competitive Clubs By Ahmad Abdel-Azim

Here at Appleton North, a multitude of clubs are avail- able for students to join in order to foster their school pride. The various activities that clubs, especially com- petitive clubs, participate in, such as competitions and assemblies, are critical in the development of school spirit within the Appleton North community. While

Appleton North Forensics Team.

Appleton North Math Team.

they may not have spectators and a student section roaring with North pride, they represent Appleton North, leaving people with a positive image of Appleton North. Moreover, the apparel that each club wears at these events fosters a sense of unity within the student body. This sense of unity is cru- cial for school spirit. Mrs. Bruch, an advisor for the Appleton North forensics team, adds, “Being part of a smaller community, who have a common goal and spend time together, helps you get to know other people. Getting to know people helps you feel connected, and when you feel connected, you’re going to have more investment in what it is going on around you.” As part of a relatively large school, it is important for North students to join a club to feel connected to their peers; this will consequently increase school pride. In addition, the success that particularly competitive clubs have at their various competitions causes a dramatic growth in school pride. Mrs. Klunder, the advisor to the Appleton North math team, comments, “When your individual accomplishments work to better a team that is representing a school, school pride begins to grow within those members of the student body.” When one thinks of North spirit, sports are usually the first activity that comes to mind; however, it is necessary to realize that clubs, particularly competitive clubs, are also critical in the development of school pride within the student body.

Lightning Band By Jonathan Buyze

The Appleton North Band has demonstrated multiple examples of school spirit through its 22 years of existence. The band’s Director, Mr. Thaldorf, and three senior Drum Majors, Kaitlyn Janssen, SamWoo, and Helen Zhou, all agreed on three events that best exemplify the Band’s purpose in showing school spirit: the Marching Band during the football season, the Pep Band during the basketball season, and the three city-wide parades they participate in. The Marching Band has never missed a home football game in the history of the school. Occasionally, the band has been unable to play fully due to inclement weather, but its intent has always been to play. “I think it is important for everyone to be a part of events going on at our school,” Mr. Thaldorf comments. “To be a part of the band, to be participating in the event, to be a spectator, to be a supportive parent can all add to our school spirit and atmosphere.” The Lightning Pep Band has also been asked to play for many of the home basketball games. For a few games, Band members have voluntarily come to play at games that were not assigned to them. “I think the fact that so many Band kids show up to perform at basketball games shows that they really care about keeping the school spirit alive in competitive events,” adds Sam Woo. The Pep Band has also played at other school functions, such as assemblies, graduations, and award ceremonies. “I think our music definite-

ly heightens the ambiance of these school events,” states Drum Major Helen Zhou. Throughout the year, the Lightning Marching Band also participates in three community parades: the Holiday, Memorial Day, and Flag Day parades. Each of these parades has their own unique sig- nificance and are opportunities for the Fox Valley to experience the Band’s phenomenal playing. “I often tell students that for some people in our community, this may be the only time they ever have direct contact with anyone from North High School. It is our job to represent our school at the highest level,” explains Mr. Thaldorf. “I commonly see former band students and North students, the oldest being in their early 40’s, with their children and families who are proud to be North graduates.”

School Events By Sophia Krupka

When someone says “school spirit”, some of the first images that come to mind are Friday night football games and pep rallies. What is often missed though, are the groups involved with organizing or adding to these events. One such group is our school’s Performance Team. At football games, they are out on the track helping rev up the crowd, leading the stands in cheers, putting on routines, and performing at halftime. They do not just invigorate spectators at football games though, they go to games with our basketball teams, and as in years past, they cheered our girls basketball team through the season and on to State. Not only do they support some of our sports teams, but they are also a competitive group themselves. The Performance team puts in the practice time to take their routines to competitions, making them another contributor to North’s pride through what they do. Another group that does not necessarily get noticed as a contributor to the school’s spirit is Student Council. Behind the scenes of pep rallies, Lovestruck week, Coffeehouse, and community-based events like food drives, Student Council works on organizing and running a handful of different events at North. Out of all the events they put together the ones that amp up pirit in students the most noticeably are the pep rallies. “When all students cheer nd

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ncourage their peers, it reveals the true school spirit that the students at North hol Parnika Shukla, a member of Student Council said. By organizing these ac- tivities and projects, Student Council adds more flavor to student’s day-to- day routines and certainly increases school spirit at North.