More than 3,000 eager and anxious students clump together in the arena, and the air fills with noise from the chatter of friends catching up and the buzz of brass instruments. When Mr. Wolff grabs the mic, the chatter falls to a quiet lull. He unveils a new app, SuperFan, to show students that South’s spirit is ours to bring.

While other Forsyth County students spent their first-day gathering syllabi and sitting in classrooms, South students had a day full of socialization and school spirit. The day’s events consisted of games, meetings, and rallies- all in an attempt to improve the overall school culture and environment.

August 1st kicked off the first day of the 2020 school year. This year, South took a different approach. Ms. Kassie Smith and a spirit team, lead by seniors Bryan Walker and Alivia Ayer, worked hard over the summer to plan a perfect day in an effort to boost school pride and student participation. They also introduced the SuperFan app.

“This app has many benefits to offer our students, school, and community; it will generate excitement about these upcoming events and help students spread the word,” said Ms. Smith. “Also, with all the events conveniently listed in one place, everyone should be able to know exactly when and what is going on.”

Additionally, Ms. Smith wants “to re-define what the culture of SFHS is and raise the fun factor that students and staff alike get from attending school, both during and after school hours.” This app encourages student and faculty participation via a point-based rewards system. 

Starting in their homeroom classes, students reunited with their friends and met their Instructional Flex (IF) teachers. When the time came, every student headed into the arena for an exciting surprise pep rally led by coaches, teachers, and students. 

“The conversation revolved around changing expectations,” Mrs. Laura Wilson commented about the vision behind the first-day redesign, making students excited to be on campus rather than dreading it and setting a new tone for the school year.”

Fall coaches expressed their excitement for the upcoming sports season. Mrs. Wilson and the admin team spoke to the student body about the changes happening this school year: Flex time, E-Hallpass, and the SuperFan. The festivities support South’s Social Emotional Learning (SEL) goals.

“Stress is real and students need to learn what coping mechanisms help them manage that stress,” Mrs. Wilson explained what she hopes to achieve with these new changes:  “My ultimate goal – happy, healthy students in mind and body”.  

As the day came to a close, happiness and excitement filled the air in South. After hours spent in their IF teachers’ rooms playing old fashioned icebreakers to get to know their peers, the student body congregated outside the football field to enjoy refreshing popsicles offered by the administration.

“I liked the popsicle idea, especially for the first day,” senior Fabiha Anwar recalled. “It was nice to chill, and it was a good way to go into the senior year.” Students hung out with their friends and devoured a rainbow of popsicle flavors.

“My favorite part,” freshman Connor Adams said, “was going out to the bleachers to the football field because I was allowed more freedom and I hung out with my friends.” 

It provided positive reinforcement for nervous freshmen and an enjoyable reunion for returning students. The crash of the cymbals at the pep rally will hopefully resonate with students and promote an enthusiastic attitude for the rest of the year.

As Mr. Wolff explained, “It was all about starting the year on a new, fresh foot with everyone feeling involved as a part of the school culture.”