By Ari Romanoff ’29, Commentary Staff Writer

Newark Academy’s Spirit Week 2025 was the best in recent memory — not because of tradition, but because of intentional risk-taking, careful logistics, and a strong refocus on community. But the real question was: could these new strategies actually bring spirit back to NA?

This year’s School Council, led by President Charlie Goldstein ’26, not only revived beloved traditions but also introduced new events that got students moving, competing, and connecting across grades. As Charlie put it, “Trying out events like the Key Hunt and Memory Game was a risk, but it made Spirit Week feel fresh again.” As a member of the School Council, I saw firsthand how much time went into making these new events work. This year, the Key Hunt and Memory Game could have fallen short — but instead, they made Spirit Week feel renewed and unpredictable in the best way. Spirit Week finally felt student-driven, not just student-attended.

It is impossible to recap this year’s spirit week without mentioning Mr. Landon Allen, a driver of new spirit events this year. He was “thrilled with how the NA community embraced School Council’s new Spirit Week initiatives.” Even Ms. Galvin commented,  “Clearly, Mr. Allen’s energy was infectious,” when asked to reflect on spirit week. His energy helped make the week feel new and exciting, especially when compared to years prior. 

This year, the freshman and senior classes, in particular, went all out, setting the tone for everyone else. Freshmen won many competitions this year, eventually finishing second behind only the seniors, with a highlight being the intensely close dodgeball finals between the two grades. In past years, many grades hung back, not giving spirit week their all — but this year, it felt like every class and all class officers were fully invested.

Spirit Week 2025 did what it’s supposed to do: ease the rigor of NA and rebuild school spirit. Charlie summarized that transformation plainly: “We tried new things, people showed up, and the school actually felt like one community. Taking everyone’s mind off the seriousness of school is all we ever want Spirit Week to be — and this year we did that.” Spirit Week didn’t succeed just because people participated — it succeeded because people felt like it couldn’t have happened without them. This year’s council drew the whole community into the mix, building on tradition to create an amazing time. NA owes an enormous thank you to the faculty, maintenance staff, and School Council members who helped make the week a success.

If future School Councils keep this mix — creativity, meticulous planning, and occasional flair — Spirit Week can be more than an annual tradition. Looking back, I’m proud to have been part of an amazing group that took risks and trusted that the community would respond. Spirit Week worked this year because it balanced creativity with real collaboration, and this year, that mix made Spirit Week a highlight of the year for many.