At Trafalgar Castle School, we take school spirit seriously – which doesn’t mean we’re serious about school work all the time! But it does mean that the inclusive tone and the culture of our school matters to us a lot. How a girl feels when she enters through our doors each day affects everything she does, from her math assignments to her lunch with friends to her performance on the sports field.
As much as we love rooting for our teams and defending our school in sports or club rivalries, school spirit is much more than cheering and applause. It’s a sense of identity and closeness. It’s a deep feeling of belonging that comes from unity and togetherness. It’s a natural desire to help others and participate in all Trafalgar has to offer.
School spirit at Trafalgar is less a way of behaving and more a way of being. It’s a shared commitment to excellence in all things, from friendship to academics to community. Most important, it’s a girl believing in herself because her school believes in her.
Our Trafalgar spirit is a great teacher. It teaches our girls that there is something bigger than the self and a greater good to strive toward. It teaches compassion for others and understanding of differences. It teaches confidence, as girls are willing to try new things within an encouraging environment. It teaches the skills of cooperation and collaboration in building a respectful and positive climate for all.
As a school, we also know that school spirit supports academic success. Educational research clearly indicates that emotional wellbeing lies at the heart of achievement. Our girls do their best here because they feel their best here.
Our spirit of encouragement and togetherness is evident every day, from the tone our teachers set in the classroom to the way our girls support one another in all areas of school life. This is a place where it’s okay – even fantastic! – for girls to get good marks, lead the way, win the game, try something new, be different… or just relax and take a break sometimes.
You will see this special Trafalgar spirit in the simple things, such as the way our girls wear their uniform or come together for assemblies. You will also see it during special moments, like spirit days and House competitions. When our annual Arts Week, Athletics Week, Castle Haunt or May Court Festival arrive, you will see the girls engaged, involved, dressed up and celebrating one another. In short, our school spirit shines in every girl and is highly contagious!
Video by Trafalgar Grade 12 student, Kendall S.