Traditions exist for everything; schools, families, religions, friends all have recurring customs. They are an important part of every person’s life whether he or she realizes that. A tradition is meant to occur year after year, but once it disappears or alters, the whole idea of said tradition seems pointless to continue.

The school’s motto, “Have pride. Show character. Build tradition,” repeats every day over the intercom in hopes of encouraging our students to follow it. Building tradition, especially in a school setting, is important.

Our school offers so many traditions for students to join in on, including passing Tiger Claus down from one class to the next at the senior run, participating in homecoming and winter sports week spirit days, wearing red every Friday, taking the class picture forming the giant FHS and so much more. Do not forget that each club and sport offers its own traditions as well that are continued on through the years by the students involved in them.

Those traditions are going to be a part of what students remember years from now. The memories of  dressing up in crazy costumes during spirit days or running through the gym doors finally becoming a senior bring smiles when remembering the best parts of the high school experience shared with fellow classmates.

Recently, a tradition has been changed at the school. Winter sports week usually held in late January will be now be in March to coincide the same week as the Riley Dance Marathon (read more about why the week was moved on page 9). While there are reasons behind the move, mostly to increase the attendance and participation of events during the week, it is a change in tradition for the school body.

Anyone expecting the weekly festivities to occur in January will be sadly mistaken as they realize the changes to the dates. Wintertainment (see page 7) on Jan. 31 will be the only sports week event that will still happen. Due to winter sports week being the same week as the Riley Dance Marathon, there will no longer be a winter dance.

The tradition of sports week itself is to keep alive one of the most important parts of being a Tiger, having school spirit as well as recognizing the members of all the winter sports teams for their achievements this season. Through the winter blues and stress of returning to school after winter break, winter sports week gives the students a chance to be revived.

The excitement of planning out costumes for spirit days or the energy that spreads through the crowd during the pep rally gives students the chance to remember what it means to be a Tiger while also bringing the energy necessary to finish out the school year on a good note for many.

Attitudes that come with school spirit are passed down from class to class each year. The student body makes sure that each year freshmen are brought into that same attitude and that they too can experience the Tiger traditions during the school days as well as during the after school activites such as different sports games.

The idea of a change in tradition is unnecessary unless it is going to lead to some kind of progress. If the altering of traditions does not accomplish that motive, then it is  unneeded. Instead the practice should be left the way that it has been for years and should occur as it was established.

These ideas and activities are meant to be passed down to be continued for years down the road. They allow others to create memories of their own just as we have before them. This is why all traditions should be kept as they are.

Traditions are not meant to be changed; they are meant to be preserved.