From January 19–23, Branksome Hall was filled with music, colour and contagious energy as students in Grades 7 to 12 took part in the school’s annual Spirit Week competition.

Each grade prepared an original cheer and a choreographed lip sync performance, presenting them to the entire Senior & Middle School community. Alongside the performances, students also participated in community engagement initiatives in support of this year’s chosen charity, Period Purse, helping to raise awareness and collect menstrual products for those in need. 

But behind every high-energy performance and charitable donation were weeks of lunchtime meetings, late-night choreography sessions, inboxes full of logistics and student leaders rallying their grades.

For Spirit Week Chair Isla, the week represented both a celebration and the culmination of months of behind-the-scenes work. “Since my first involvement in Spirit Week in Grade 7, making up dances over Zoom for my grade, I have loved the energy and vibe of the week,” she said. “My favourite thing about Spirit Week is the way it brings whole grades together.”

That sense of unity was hard-earned. Isla described Spirit Week as “an organizational beast,” requiring countless emails, careful scheduling and constant communication while balancing her own academic responsibilities. “The communication aspect was definitely the most difficult; managing all of the logistics, running the council and keeping up with all of my school work was definitely a challenge,” she said.

Her proudest moment came during the final Lip Sync competition. “I was standing up at the back of the gym, watching all of the grades perform their dances and seeing the result of all of my nights spent sending emails and helping my council come to life.” 

That sense of pride was shared across grades.

For Grade 10 leaders Ruby and Angel, the highlight was watching their classmates connect through shared passion for their performances. “It was amazing to see everyone have so much excitement and share the energy,” Ruby said. With Spirit Week landing earlier in the year, time was tight, and finding meeting times proved challenging. Still, they leaned on each other and on Isla’s support to stay on track. Their performance opened with a reenactment from Hamilton, a comedic way to set the stage for a dynamic routine that reflected their collaborative spirit.

Creativity also took centre stage for Grade 11 reps Aine and Keira, who relished the freedom to come up with their Olympics theme and create their own song mix and choreography. While they had fun, teaching a seven-minute dance and a three-minute cheer to their entire grade was no small task. “Coordinating everyone, booking meetings and teaching such a long dance took a lot of effort,” Aine said. One unforgettable moment was their comedic “bobsled section,” described as a showstopper that had the audience laughing along with them. It was creativity like this that led the Grade 11s to win the Lip Sync portion of the week!

For the youngest grades in the Senior & Middle School, Spirit Week offered an early introduction to leadership. Grade 7 leaders Vivi and Lily called the practices their favourite part, even if they were stressful. “We thought it was a great time to connect with our peers,” they said. The experience also gave them a new appreciation for their teachers. “Now, let’s just say we definitely know how the teachers feel when people don’t listen. It’s very stressful!”

Grade 8 leaders Hannah and Susanna echoed that sentiment, noting that bringing a performance to life required persistence. “Performing in front of the school made everything feel like a success and worthwhile,” they said. Their spirited routine to “Roar” by Katy Perry featured bold formations that “really set the scene.”

For the “Neon Nines” grade reps, Ziyal and Quinne, Spirit Week became an unexpected opportunity for connection. “I really enjoyed seeing the final result of all our hard work come together,” Ziyal said, adding that working closely with her co-rep helped her build a friendship she might not have formed otherwise. Their dance featured standout moments, including a flip and a glow stick reveal when the lights went out, drawing cheers from the crowd.

And for Grade 12 leaders Olivia and Emily, this year’s competition carried particular weight. After three consecutive second-place finishes, their grade finally claimed the top spot. “It was so bittersweet knowing that this was our last Spirit Week ever,” Olivia said. “We weren’t only participating for fun, we were creating one of our last memories shared as a grade.”

They reflected on the challenge of ensuring every voice was heard while balancing choreography, planning and school work. Through it all, they discovered that “good leadership isn’t about being the loudest person in the room; it’s about listening, delegating, supporting others and staying calm when things get chaotic.”

For Isla, seeing the Grade 12s win felt like a full-circle moment. “For three years we had come second,” she said. “Finally seeing my grade win felt like a great ending to our Spirit Week journey.”

In the end, Spirit Week once again proved that when the Branksome community comes together, the result is something far greater than a cheer or a dance. It is a celebration of leadership, resilience and shared joy that students will carry with them long after the music fades.

Check out all of the action from the Lip Sync and Cheer competitions here!