Social media accounts serve a valued purpose in spreading information, but only if those accounts are used responsibly. 

It can often be easy to feel out of the loop with pride of one’s school when living the crazy life of a high school student, but Cathedral has done an exceptional job of building on a spirited atmosphere this school year. The school has seen amazing coordination and involvement in school wide spirit events, especially this past Homecoming. 

Many different reasons have played a factor in the school involvement, but the most prominent has been the self-drive of the students to create an energetic and familial environment seen in many new Cathedral-related social media accounts.

Creating social media for clubs and organizations can be challenging to gain a following for, but the effectiveness of such accounts is evident on the Hill. This 2021-22 school year has been Cathedral’s first year with two leprechauns as the school mascots, and both Will Mayer and Ethan Pac have done an excellent job of encouraging and igniting amazing student sections for sports showings.

The @chsirishnightmare Twitter and Instagram pages, run by Pac, have spearheaded student efforts to win the banner. What banner? That’s a question pretty much any Cathedral student could answer for you, that’s how high a priority winning this banner is. The WISH-TV Zone 8 Banner, given to the best student section in Central Indiana by Mr. Anthony Calhoun, has been the apple of any Cathedral athletic fan’s eye. 

The Irish Nightmare, the new nickname for the Irish student section, has been branded well due to its following and reposting by Cathedral students. Whether it is giving shoutouts to athletes and teams for accomplishments and commitments or letting students know about upcoming game times and information, the page has been a stellar example of the enthusiasm a smaller body of students can spread through the school when determined.

When it comes to spreading the word, one can’t disagree with the claim that Cathedral’s students did as good a job as anyone during the past Homecoming week. The fun celebration saw more inclusion and involvement from experienced seniors all the way down to wide-eyed freshmen. Class accounts run by the class presidents and officers helped inspire students to participate in dress up days, make sure they attended the Homecoming dance, and win spirit points any way they could. The result was a flurry of different takes on the various themes, as students latched onto the leadership of their peers and greatly contributed to an exhilarating week that culminated in the seniors — barely — winning the spirit stick.

The buck does not stop there, as many other teams and student-led clubs have gotten in on the fun. The Student Council Instagram account, created this school year, has been another factor in updating students and helping them feel more connected to the Student Council and workings of the school. Teams such as men’s soccer and basketball have debuted accounts, similar to other Irish sports accounts. Student-produced content and photography have been able to keep fans engaged and in the loop on their teams’ seasons.

Social media has shown the capability to further unite a school and spread school spirit, but it’s important to understand the weight and power students have as well. A rumor can spread just as easily (or often faster) than the breaking news about what the football game’s student section theme is. Online networking has proven time and time again to be a beautiful place that brings people together, and that has been represented well by many of the pages Cathedral students have started up over the years.

With the rest of the school year ahead, there are still many opportunities for students to get involved and feel the school pride that has been partially lacking in the last year and a half. Winning the Zone 8 banner is not just a goal, but an expectation the leprechauns have made known throughout social media accounts, among other things. Thanks to the leadership and initiative of its very own students on social sites, Cathedral has continued to (and will continue to) build on the Irish spirit that has been such a valued and prominent part of Cathedral for more than 100 years.