What Happened to Galloway's Traditions

Galloway is known for being untraditional. The school’s unique philosophy prioritizes inclusion and individuality, which has been Galloway’s mission from the start. However, something that sets our school apart from others is our lack of traditions. This is one of the ways Galloway tries to encourage inclusivity, but I think it is creating separation. Without the school spirit that is cultivated by traditions either unique to Galloway or typical for high school, kids in the community are not as motivated to come together, be with unfamiliar peers, and show their pride for the school. Not only are we missing normal high school practices, but many of the customs that make Galloway incredibly unique have stopped completely. Galloway’s beautiful unconventionality will always be what makes the school special, but is it operating in a way that is preventing us from truly creating a community?

In the past, the school has fostered some wonderful traditions that are special to Galloway. As an elementary student at Galloway, I viewed high school with adoration because I thought the community was so enriched, and I couldn’t wait until it was my time to be a part of it. I remember attending my brother’s basketball pep rallies and having so much fun – the stands were filled, people were cheering, and everyone was having a great time. Random kids would even come out during halftime of the game to play together on the court. Now, basketball games are still great, but they are missing one of the most important aspects of school sports: spirit.

I also remember doing the Galloway Games, which has been one of my favorite traditions. Students from all grades would form large teams symbolized by a Galloway color and would complete challenges for points. This boosted spirit because in order to win, you had to show as much school spirit and excitement as you could. Getting to meet new people in my community was the highlight of my experience, and I always felt extremely proud to go to Galloway. Unfortunately, this special tradition – and others –  is no longer in action, and our school spirit is suffering because of it. As freshman lifer Marin Zocca said, “At Galloway Games, school spirit was at an ultimate high, which is why I miss it so much. Everyone dressed up and was fully dedicated while participating.” We’ve also lost the Founder’s Day walk and the Fall Fun Fest (which was altered and turned into the Galloway Rally). Now that I am actually in high school, I am disappointed that the other students and I are not able to experience these wonderful events anymore. 

Mainstream traditions are essential in enhancing a student's high school experience. Some examples are Prom/Homecoming King and Queen, the Sadie Hawkins dance, and pep rallies. Many of these traditions don’t follow Galloway’s ideals, but there are ways for the school to adopt these without compromising the integrity of the school. Instead of having a Queen or King, which are labels that may not align with everyone, we could just vote on two outstanding people within the community without connecting it to gender or popularity status. This would increase school spirit because it would get people involved; whether or not they are running or voting, it would still be something that gets people excited about school. The Sadie Hawkins dance can also be something that does not have to be correlated with gender. In addition, more pep rallies would increase school spirit and engagement with school sports. I agree that these traditions still need to align with the school's values, but they are still key aspects of high school culture that we are missing out on.

Galloway still has some weekly traditions that can be really engaging, like town hall. Marin Zocca also stated: “I think things like town hall and advisory need to be appreciated more. However, we should focus more on the students and activities.” Both of these weekly occurrences are great opportunities to build relationships, so we should take advantage of them and use them to continue cultivating community.

Traditions are extremely beneficial and can be used to create less division within the school community. When students have an exciting reason to be together, it can encourage them to spend more time with each other and support Galloway. If we truly want an inclusive school, we need to stop pushing away traditions and instead embrace them and make them our own so we can bring our community together.

By Ella Marks