School pride has always been an important part of American high schools. From school clubs to sports matches to band clubs, it always has a place. It creates a sense of community and a sense of welcomeness for the students.

But here at Pasco High, it might seem like a lot of us are lacking that sense of pride. I have heard many students criticize the school, whether it be the school itself or the alumni, there is always something in between.

Some people may ask: “why does school pride even matter?”, but the truth is that it plays a role in our lives even if you do not notice it. For example, when adults ask you questions such as “What school do attend?”, or, “Where did you graduate from?”, they sometimes might be shocked to know that you attend the same school as them, then, they launch into vivid descriptions and accounts from when they went to this school. That is one example of school pride. These people talk positively about the school and are eager to share any memories they have of attending this school.

School pride also brings entire towns together, from small towns like Sunnyside and Toppenish to big cities like Spokane and Seattle. We talk about our schools on the daily, and they are part of out daily lives. Especially here in America, we take football games very seriously. For example, when Pasco and Chiawana had football games, it was the entire conversation for the next day, it even being announced over the loudspeaker in the morning announcements

Those are the reasons why school pride matters, but now back to the question:

Do the students at Pasco High School have student pride?

The answer depends on who you are asking. Some students at Pasco High say that they are proud to be part of our school. This vibrant diverse community offers a place for everyone. On the other side, some students say that they are not proud of being part of this school, and reasons include things such as not getting along with other alumni, not liking the staff, the way classes are taught, or even just the school being labeled as plain boring. These are the reasons some students do not feel a sense of pride at Pasco High.

What we need to do is to make sure that we hear everyone out on these issues and on both sides. What can we do to come together as students and to make sure everyone has a good and safe experience at Pasco High, and how can we make those students and anyone else make sure that they have a sense of pride with Pasco High? By addressing school issues, by talking to each other about how we feel about events, certain staff, classes, and more. By talking about anything school-related to each other. These are just some of the few ways we as students of Pasco High can help each other out. If we can achieve a sense of pride for everyone, we can not only be proud of our school but also be proud of our community. As I mentioned at the beginning of the article, it brings us together. We get the opportunity to talk with more of our peers, and students from other high schools across the Tri-Cities, and exchange our opinions.

A sense of school pride should be important to everyone, even those who say they don’t think about it. With this, we can make Pasco High a welcoming community for everyone, not just our students.