In its prime, WJ’s student leadership team created elaborate Homecoming videos, raised thousands of dollars for childhood cancer through Pennies for Patients (P4P) and engaged students throughout the school. The Student Government Association (SGA) and student leadership team positions were coveted and students and teachers throughout the building would recognize everyone who had one.

As years go, this may be one of the school’s least spirited ever. Sports attendance, Spirit Week participation and P4P fundraising are all down. This lack of spirit comes from the top.

The SGA oversees most cross-class occasions such as Homecoming, P4P, spirit weeks, pep rallies etc all of which have been noticeably lacking. From an advertising and participation standpoint, P4P was a major failure in comparison to previous years. In past years, the SGA would notify students either on the morning announcements or on the Instagram account (@walterjohnsonsga) when and where each event would be held. There would be huge attendance from students during popular events such as 3v3 basketball, the burrito mile, Mario Kart and many more creative fundraising opportunities by leadership. Another huge part of the fundraising was Flocking.

This year many did not know that Pennies 4 Patients even started, not a single student showed up to participate in “Clash of the Classes” and flocking is at an all time low. 

Another inconsistency is the quality of the homecoming videos. From 2005 to 2025, the movie length dropped from an hour to 15 minutes, special effects were not used enough and the scripts were clearly made the week before. Something that used to be so hyped up and thoroughly planned, even starting weeks in advance, disappointed many this year. The movie is just an easy fix, though; it is not the biggest issue plaguing the student body. 

It is a symptom of something bigger. There’s no more school spirit, there’s a significant lack of attendance at our sports games and the spirit weeks leading up to the pep rally itself are, in a word, dead. 

In addition to no advertising about school events, like Pennies 4 Patients, there is little to no advertisements about any of the sports events, even the football games. Students find out what school we’re playing in through word of mouth from those who are actually on the teams. When at the games, there’s barely any chanting or celebrations; there’s no spirit. In previous years, presidents Sidney Scale and Luke Liden made a huge effort to lead cheering in stands at football games, hyping up students during pep rallies and more. 

One of the biggest changes this school year has been the posting of the SGA’s Instagram (@walterjohnsonsga) account with over 2,000 followers. The account has been run by the officers in the past and they would post and communicate with the student body through DMs. After an inappropriate dispute through DMs and use of foul language, leadership lost the privilege of running the account. As a result of such actions, when posts want to be shared on the Instagram account requests are submitted to Sophie Fierst, the leadership sponsor, and then posted by her. The switch in posting and running power of the Instagram from students to being monitored by Fierst just goes to show the immaturity and lack of seriousness this year’s leadership class has put into keeping the spirit of WJ going. 

The SGA are supposed to be leaders, and as leaders, they should also promote the teams of WJ. They should promote girls’ varsity basketball just as much as the boys team. Students shouldn’t just leave as soon as the boys’ basketball clock hits full-time. They should be advertising the Pennies 4 Patients events more. Most students don’t even know they’re going on unless they cross the one hallway where the board with all the events is located.The same goes for spirit week themes. What happened to utilizing the morning announcements? What happened to having accessible but fun spirit days, ones that everyone wants to participate in? 

All of these issues are rooted in a lack of leadership, time and effort being placed in these activities by the SGA.