Several alumni recently walked down memory lane, sharing their recollections of this classic O’Dowd tradition that links generations of Dragons.
Alex Kovach ’88 still remembers each of her class themes from all four years, and the bonds forged during this unifying week of fun and competition.
“I remember meeting new friends while decorating the hall freshman year, and you’d think, as the years went on, it would lose its luster. But to be honest, the most memorable Spirit Week was our senior year. We were known as a very close-knit class, but that year really forged us together. Our theme was Senior Summer of Love and I will never forget how we walked into the Night Rally in silence as a unified class – holding daisies! It gives me the chills to remember it. It was impactful, striking, and powerful,” she said.
“The tradition of Spirit Week at O’Dowd, with stories like this passed down through the classes, really shows the community- and the unity- that personifies O’Dowd both then and now,” Kovach adds.
Brian Cushing ‘84 was blown away freshman year when he watched the skits each class presented at the Night Rally. “Every class had to come up with the dialogue, dance routines, and music to represent their themes. For freshmen, I thought we did pretty good, but the juniors and seniors were, well, amazing! It was such a fun night and I wish the current students had the chance to experience those skits,” he said.
“My other favorite memory is going over to Craig Wallace’s house to make hall decorations for our junior hallway. We were Jukebox Juniors and had so much fun listening to music and making the decorations. We actually had a jukebox in our hall! We did not win that year (or any year for that matter), but man it was fun!” Cushing said.
Ivy LeBlanc Wagner ’75 vividly remembers her freshman year Spirit Week – building the class float at Julie Matthew Grajeda’s house, then meeting up with classmates (who were all dressed in costume) in the frosh section of the Quad waiting for the rally to begin.
“Spirit Week was a time of camaraderie, fun, and competition among the classes. Upon reflection those things seem innocent, as if they were from a different era,” she said.
For Lauryn Holloway ‘03, the first thing that comes to mind when she thinks of Spirit Week is the transformation of the campus environment – both physically and emotionally.
“Our hallways were fully decorated to reflect the fun and creativity of our community. Our theme was Senior Shipwreck and I still remember walking down our senior hallway through an amazing underwater world with treasures, pirates, sea creatures and so much more. We spent so much time planning out our design. The class had to come together and support each other to make the week a real success. It was truly a time to bond and just appreciate each other,” she said.
