Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary,” Irish author Margaret Cousins said. Winning State or Nationals, and everything in between, can be a huge
accomplishment to a high school student. Spending countless hours practicing and competing, only to come back to school and feeling as if no one cares, is disappointing. This is exactly what many students here feel every day.

According to nassp.org, “Motivation and success are what drive individuals in any profession. In the school setting, it is critically important that we celebrate and recognize the outstanding things that students accomplish, both inside and outside
of the building.”
According to aaastateofplay.com the top five most popular sports in high schoolare football, track and field, basketball, baseball and soccer. With nearly 1,000 students out for Fall sports this year, this is what is primarily shown in the school’s media, spirit weeks and assemblies. This is understandable, but what about the other clubs, sports and activities who also compete? What about our 67 clubs, seven other fall sports and countless fine art opportunities? We, as students, need to do a better job of celebrating these students too.
For instance, when Liberty Robotics got second in their Iowa Regional last year, which is the best the team has ever placed in 20 years, they never received congratulations from many students because they didn’t know. They weren’t talked about in the classrooms and I didn’t write about them in the school paper. No one even knew they went on to their second Regional competition, and I am sorry for it.When the Varsity Winter Guard traveled to Dayton, Ohio to compete at WGI (Winter Guard International) and become National finalists–placing 14 out of 97 teams – much of the same. No high fives in the hallways and a small story done on KLHS later. I didn’t get them into The Bell.
A similar school, Blue Springs South, got their color guard a police escort back to school after they became National finalists. Schools all over the Metro do a better job of celebrating all of their students, so I know we can too. There are so many unrecognized groups, clubs and students who work endless hours to compete on a local, Regional or National level. As an editor of The Bell Newspaper, I know I will personally strive to do a better job at recognizing students for all of their achievements. I hope the rest of the school will follow me in these many celebrations.