Behind the garage door in the athletic hallway sits metal shelves stacked with Spartan merch. Behind the counter greeting every student who stops by are the parents who run the store.
The Spirit Store offers students Spartan merchandise such as sweaters, hoodies, water bottles, and the infamous pajama pants.
Mary Carter, a parent at SPA, started the Spirit Store in 2018. It all started with her son, who traveled a lot for sports. “The parents would always have [their school] gear on and we never did,” Carter said. “If we can […] make sure that everyone is included and can afford it, then I think it’s important for us to show our [school] spirit.”
Sophomore Sophie Donahue agrees that students should show school spirit and mentioned how fun it is to do so.
“I think it’s really cool…how the pajama pants have really been incorporated into the SPA style I do. It’s become a staple of [many students’] wardrobe,” Donahue said.
The Spirit Store can be run by one or two parent volunteers who work shifts ranging from half an hour to two hours in the athletic hallway. Nigel Endorf, a parent volunteer, walks through what it is like to run the store. “[The security] gives me a key [to the counter], make sure everything’s stacked with whatever’s in the stack, open up this cage, and then students come and purchase,” Endorf said.
Volunteering is a way for parents to be more involved in the school community and in their students’ school life.
“I think it really helps create community,” Carter said, “and even getting to know a lot of the teachers because you know, once [students] get in middle school in high school, it’s not cool for us [parents] to be seen.”
Carter laughs at that reality.
Endorf agrees.
From driving kids to and from school every day and attending every school concert to sending them off from the doorstep as they commute to school on their own, it’s only natural. Students grow up and become independent and the level of parent involvement decreases.
“As you get older in high school, there’s less [opportunities] for parents to volunteer,” Endorf said. “But I still wanted to help the school out. So I like to do sort of behind the scenes and this seems like a fun thing to do behind the scenes and not in my son’s face.”
Junior Cassandra Overholt expresses her gratitude towards the parent volunteers. “We wouldn’t have the store without them.” Last year, the store was open once a week, much less than now, “So it’s nice [that] it’s open more this year.” Overholt said.
Endorf encourages parents to volunteer as well. “If more parents volunteer then it can be open more often [for] longer hours or more days during the week,” Endorf said.
Carter has big hopes and plans to expand the Spirit Store. First, she notes many problems with the store such as it being inconveniently located and how students don’t get to go in and examine the products. “We have to pull everything down [to let students touch] and that’s not the way people shop.” Carter said. “So, my ultimate goal is to actually have a physical store.”
Finally, Carter expressed her appreciation towards the students with every encounter. “I love how excited that people get about having [spirit merch]… and the students, they represent themselves so well and they’re always so kind. I feel pretty lucky to interact with students on a regular basis.”
Follow the sign that reads “Spirit Store” down to the athletic hallway where the parent volunteers sit to greet you. If not to buy, then to say “hi” and even share your merch design ideas with them because they enjoy seeing you too.
