By Shelby Thomas
Photo by Emma Czerwinski
As the silence of six period droned on, heads snapped up as a message came over the announcements: “This is The Revolution taking over the airwaves.”
The Revolution took over far more than the airwaves at the beginning of football season—it took the student body by storm in preparation for the game against Green Valley on Thursday, Sept. 12.
Pioneered by dedicated Cougars, The Revolution intended to inspire spirit in the student fan base. It was such a large organization that it held its meeting in the cafeteria, where members were able to purchase t-shirts to wear to the games.
“Our main goal was to inspire school spirit in every student here. So many people didn’t have [spirit], and we wanted to create a movement for them to follow,” Austin Morgan, senior, said.
The reinvigoration of school spirit was noticeable on the live broadcast of the Thursday Night Lights game. In full bleed-out wear, students packed the stands and cheered the Cougars to a victory over one of their greatest rivals. A student section was added to the home team’s end zone, and members of The Revolution waved school flags with pride.
“It’s about changing the culture and creating a school that students are proud to attend. Students should own their high school experience. They can have a unique love and a passion that no administrators can ever have,” Principal Piccinnini said.
A cultural shift, especially from a status quo that has been engrained for over ten years, can be hard to create. A full scale revolution must come from administration, staff, and the students.
In addition to The Revolution, Experience Coronado was also founded in response to the demands of the new school year. The motto was established with the firm belief that each student deserves to take control of their high school experience.
According to data published by the US Department of Education, fewer students who are engaged in their schools report having unexcused absences and skipping classes. These students also have a greater likelihood to have high GPAs. Involved students tend to have a more successful high school career.
“High school is the time for these kids to find themselves. It’s our responsibly to guarantee that each student who graduates from our school is prepared to greet the real world. Experience Coronado is all about having the best experience possible inside and outside the classroom,” Principal Piccinnini said.
While Coronado has consistently been applauded for its academic excellence, its spirit and culture left much to be desired for many students.
“I didn’t really feel involved or included in the school. I found myself watching TV shows wishing I could have that type of high school experience, but Coronado never really did that for me. I’m a senior here, and I can count the number of assemblies and football games I’ve been to on one hand,” Briana Sodaro, senior, said.
Such apathy has been combated with student organizations before. The emergence of Cougar Nation revved the Cougars to their first semi-finalist state football title, but was ultimately disbanded because the founders graduated, forcing organizations such as student council to go back to the drawing board.
“Cougar pride is one of the greatest goals of Student Council, but it can’t just be StuCo pulling all the weight. It’s our job to get kids involved in this school and to make them care as much as we do,” Student Body President, RJ Kalaf, said.
With changes in the mantra and administration, the school greets the year with a newfound energy, given the tools to go one step farther as Cougars and succeed.
“It’s about giving power back to the majority of the people here—students like us. The changes that are coming to Coronado will only help it come together. This is our school, and we’re taking it back,” Kelli Wightman, senior, said.
