As the Winter Formal approached, students were getting ready for a week filled with spirit, friendly competition, and unforgettable memories. This year’s theme, “A Night in New Orleans,” brought the vibrant energy of the “Big Easy” to campus with dress-up days, lunchtime games, and a rally to close out the week.
Each day of Winter Formal Spirit Week is inspired by the sights, sounds, and colors of New Orleans. From denim blues and Mardi Gras beads to gothic vibes and a festival of colors. Here’s a look at all the ways students can show their school spirit leading up to the dance.
Monday, January 26 — “Big Easy Blues”
Students kicked off Spirit Week by showing up in their favorite denim outfits, from classic jeans and jackets to full-on denim-on-denim looks. During lunch, the quad turned into a big gathering for the “Bayou Breakdown” game, where students tied boxes of cotton balls to their backs and sprinted, jumped, and danced around to shake them out. Crowds gathered to cheer on their friends, and the energy set a fun and competitive tone for the rest of the week.
Tuesday, January 27th — “Mardi Gras”
On Tuesday, campus came alive with Mardi Gras colors as students showed up in purple, green, and gold, along with festive beads and feathered accessories. At lunch, pairs of students took on the “Tangled Up in Blues” challenge, working together to untangle a twisted string without letting go. The game sparked a lot of laughter and teamwork, with students crowding around to watch and encourage their friends as they raced to finish first.
Wednesday, January 28th — “Cajun Cookout”
Midweek, students leaned into the “Cajun Cookout” theme by dressing as barbecue dads and soccer moms, complete with aprons, visors, and sunglasses. The lunchtime “Food Frenzy” relay kept the spirited mood going as teams raced through a series of food-themed obstacles. Friends cheered from the sidelines as each team hurried to get all their members across the finish line, making Wednesday one of the most active and entertaining days of the week.
Thursday, January 29th — “Voodoo Vibes”
On Thursday, the campus took on a darker aesthetic as students dressed in gothic attire and dark colors to match the “Voodoo Vibes” theme. At lunch, the “Voodoo Viben” game drew big crowds as classes sent three representatives each to guess and sing the next six lyrics of popular songs after hearing just a short clip. The competition between classes was intense, with students shouting out guesses, singing along, and hoping to steal points whenever another class slipped up.
Friday, January 30th — “Festival of Colors”
To wrap up Spirit Week, students represented their grade levels by wearing their class colors: purple for freshmen, yellow for sophomores, green for juniors, and red for seniors. The campus was filled with bright colors and class pride leading into the rally and assembly. The assembly started with the national anthem, led by Pacifica’s NJROTC. Then, the PHS alma mater was sung by the choir group, and there was one final performance from the dance team, which got everyone in the room moving and admiring the team as they went through their choreography effortlessly. ASB took over and had Winter Formal royalty nominees play a game where they stepped into a taped-off area wearing wigs and tried to pull off each other’s wigs while protecting their own. The crowd cheered loudly as the last nominee secured a win. Afterwards, there was another round, but this time, with selected students from each class, ending the week on a high-energy note.
As the week went on, conversations shifted from homework and tests to outfits, photo plans, and who was going with whom. ASB students promoted the dance with posters, social media posts, and appearances in the morning announcements. Teachers and staff encouraged students to join in on the fun, making it clear that Winter Formal wasn’t just a one-night event, but the grand finale to an entire week of celebration.
From dress-up days to competitive games and a high-energy assembly, students participated throughout Winter Formal Spirit Week by dressing on theme, cheering on their classmates, and getting involved in lunchtime activities. The week built excitement for the “A Night in New Orleans” Winter Formal, giving students a chance to show off their school spirit and create memories leading up to the dance.
