Football generates pride, election creates anxiety

Walk through the halls of Lawrence High School on any given weekday, and you will hear a loud cacophony of chatter, laughs and shouts ringing throughout. Lockers are slamming, books are opening, and temperatures are dropping. The farewell to warm weather has finally brought the summer mindset to a close, as hoodies and boots fall back into daily fashion. Autumn’s arrival has brought a fresh spirit to the students, as they are extremely excited about all of the school events coming up.

The most prevalent topic of discussion these days at Lawrence High, voiced by students and faculty alike, is none other than the legendary Lawrence football team. The Golden Tornadoes have won the Long Island Class III football championship in 2012, 2013 and 2014, making a dynasty and a three-peat finish, and bringing fame and honor to the school district. The incredible level of spirit each student feels for our football team is infectious, and it is not unusual to see several students proudly decked out in school colors of royal blue and gold on any given day. This season the football team is 5-1, bringing immense pride to all Lawrence students, faculty, and families. Our boys play their hearts out, and we hope to cheer them on to fresh victories in the playoffs again this fall.

Without fail, one of the most widely anticipated events on the school calendar each year is the zaniness and hijinks that inevitably have come to epitomize Spirit Week.  Each day of the week is assigned a theme by the Key Club, and both student body and faculty dress up daily to demonstrate their Lawrence pride. This year’s themes  include ‘Merica Monday, Luau Tuesday, Snoozin’ Thursday, and Blue and Gold Friday. This year’s celebration was slightly curtailed due to ninth, 10th and 11th graders taking the PSAT on Wednesday.

Another hot topic among both students and teachers are the unprecedented twists, turns and breaks with traditional campaigning that have marked this year’s presidential election. The vast majority of our teachers and students have gone on the record stating they do not favor the Democratic or Republican nominee, and have likened their choices to selecting the lesser of two evils. 

Donald Trump has shocked the nation with his outrageous plans for building a wall to keep illegal Mexicans out, his complete lack of filter and decorum in addressing anyone who opposes him, and his lewd and demeaning manner of objectifying women. In the culturally diverse mosaic that characterizes the Lawrence schools, the majority of high school students have taken Trump’s prejudicial remarks against minorities, Gold Star families and women to indicate his favoritism towards upper-class, male, and Caucasian voters. 

On the other hand, students find Hillary Clinton to be a tragically flawed and untrustworthy candidate due to the email and Benghazi scandals that have dogged her campaign from the start. While the vast majority of students enrolled in the high school are not yet old enough to cast their vote this November, they still hold firm in their concerns and “worries for our country.” With many faculty members openly stating they have never witnessed such an intense level of animosity and even hatred in a federal election before, students are left hoping that the fate of our nation and their future is not as severely troubled as it seems.