What started as a simple activity for a heritage unit in two teachers’ classes is now the centerpiece of Tribe Hall. In 2010, Seminole High School (SHS) brought in the Seminole Spirit Tree as a symbolic unit of school pride. It has become an iconic piece over these past years, even recently getting its own plaque!
The concept of having the Seminole Spirit tree was started by a former English teacher, Mrs. Pam Sawyer. She was a Christmas tree fanatic and had a plethora of them lying around her house. That is when she decided to bring one to campus and use it as a heritage unit in her class. She had students decorate it with different aspects from each student’s heritage, but, after the unit was over, Mrs. Sawyer and Mrs Bordner had no incentive to take it down. That is when the spirit tree was made and decorations were placed throughout the tree.
However, over the past fourteen years, the Spirit Tree has begun to lose its vibrancy. While still standing as a part of campus, it lacked the attention and care that had once made it a vibrant centerpiece. With outdated decorations and a collection of dust, the tree was in desperate need of a revival. Recognizing the potential to make the Spirit Tree come back to life, SHS teachers Mrs. Bordner and Mrs. Noll were determined to ensure this unique piece was not forgotten about and that the tree continued to represent the heart of SHS’s school spirit. IB sophomore Anna LoGiudice talked about how the tree beautifully represents our school spirit. “The spirit tree is such a good way to encourage school pride. I feel like just passing by the tree makes me feel like our school is one big community and shows me how much school spirit we have here at SHS. The concept of the tree was a really good idea and is truly going to be a memorable factor for years to come.”
The tree’s revamping process started off with dusting off the tree and also included adding many new black and orange ornaments, new ribbon, and a new tree skirt. Mrs. Noll talked about how her creativity sparked when deciding how to decorate the new tree. “It was just about trying to preserve what was originally there on the tree and incorporating the school colors so orange and black. Then it was a matter of picking the ornaments and ribbons and using my past skills when I used to professionally decorate Christmas trees to decorate it.” Mrs. Noll’s creativity definitely shined through as the tree is looking better than ever!
The revitalized Spirit Tree has quickly regained its place as a symbol on campus. It stands as a great reminder of the school’s pride and how we are all one community here at SHS. As the black and orange decorations shimmer, it sure has caught some of our SHS’s students ‘ eyes as they passed it in the halls. Hrishima Tiwari, Health Academy sophomore, said “I have a class right across from Mrs. Bordner and Mrs. Noll’s room and I had seen it, but I never paid much attention to it. Literally the day after it got redecorated, I noticed it right away! The decorations are so pretty, and it definitely stands out now. My favorite part is all the ornaments and the ribbon across the whole tree.”
All in all, the spirit tree is an eye-catching, new addition to SHS! Be sure to pass by Tribe Hall and admire it on your way to your classes.