Edison students, faculty, and staff celebrated their annual Spirit Week this December, continuing a tradition that encourages school pride and community participation ahead of the holiday season. The week featured themed days such as Edison Day, Culture Day, Twin Day, Pajama Day, and a newly introduced day, known as ‘Dress Your Type Day.’

While many students were excited to see familiar themes return, Dress Your Type Day marked the biggest change to this year’s lineup. The new theme allowed students to dress in ways that reflected their personal interests or style, letting them express their ideal type and follow trends.

Organized every year by the Student Council, the week is designed to bring the diverse Edison community together. So, how did Dress Your Type Day come to be? The addition was the result of discussions within Student Council to add something new that students had not seen before.

“This year was really unique because everyone had different ideas, like performative day or character day, but we also wanted to keep some of the original themes students were already comfortable with,” said Raisa Afrin, President of the Student Council. “The board itself wanted the newer ideas, but everyone else as a collective wanted the older ideas, and by doing the original ideas, we didn’t have to go through the whole process of getting the newer ideas, like a performative day, approved by the higher-ups.”

While the Student Council expressed the popularity of Dress Your Type Day, Pajama Day remains a long-time favorite. Students dressed in their favorite pajamas or looked as if they had just rolled out of bed, bringing blankets, stuffed animals, bonnets, and robes. That Friday provided a strong sense of fun and relaxation needed during school stress. 

Another fan favorite was Culture Day, when students dress in their cultural or traditional attire from their country of origin. Culture Day celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of Edison students as they wear sarees, lehengas, ponchos, jerseys, and more from countries around the world.

“It was nice to see people’s personalities, creativity, and humor portrayed, and it was just fun overall,” said Lehanna Khan, a freshman at Thomas A. Edison CTE High School.

For Lehanna, her first Spirit Week was a success. Culture Day stood out the most, as she enjoyed seeing classmates express themselves. She also appreciated that Culture Day fell on a Tuesday, since JROTC members are required to wear uniforms on Thursdays. This scheduling change positively impacted the school community.

Beyond the coordinated days, a lot of students would agree that Spirit Week helps strengthen their connection to the school community. Seeing classmates participate made the school feel more united and welcoming. For many students, these shared experiences helped create inclusion.

 “Spirit Week is important to me because I believe it shows the school community and the togetherness we have as a collective, as well as showing up for the school and appreciating what the people around us do for us,” said Sirajum Munira, a sophomore at Thomas A. Edison CTE High School.

The week gave Edison students a chance to participate in fun activities while still uplifting school spirit right before the start of a new year. With new students joining the community each year, Spirit Week continues to offer opportunities for students to feel included and excited, while also introducing new surprises that keep the tradition alive. Student Council advisors agree that balancing tradition with innovation is key to Spirit Week’s success. 

“Every year, we try to think of something creative and engaging for all students. We usually try to switch up at least one day every year and try something new so it’s engaging for students who have been with us for a longer time. However, for our freshmen, we want them to be able to show off our school spirit proudly and feel more connected to our community,” said Ms. Inderjeit.