As the 8:15 bell rang on Monday, November 3rd, a chorus of the usual laughter and conversation echoed throughout the halls, but this time joined by the clack of cowboy boots and the swish of pleated tennis skirts. This could only mean one thing: Spirit Week was back, and better than ever. At Taft, Spirit Week isn’t just about the outfits — a better way to phrase it would be the calm before the storm. As our rival Hotchkiss prepares its defences, our campus is rallying our troops. With every crazy costume and PJs set, day by day, Tafties are powering up their inner Rhino; each theme builds energy, creativity, and school spirit.
This year’s lineup promised a little something for everyone, with the daily themes as follows: Country vs. Country Club, Twin Day, Cozy + Anything But a Backpack Day, Throwback Thursday, Generational Day, and RED OUT!
At this point, many parents may look at their child’s Amazon order history for a red tutu and wig, scoff, and wonder, “Do they ever do any learning at that school?!” However, the purpose of Spirit Week isn’t to see who can turn the most heads or win the Office of Student Life’s costume contest. Instead, it creates the opportunity to take a step back from the stress of our to-do lists and create a space where students can cultivate their enthusiasm and energy for Hotchkiss Day. The effort to coordinate outfits with friends, the confidence to wear something bold, and the laughter shared with friends between classes as students show off their look serve as the perfect reminder of what it means to be a rhino.
Kicking it off with Monday’s “Country vs. Country Club” theme, students and faculty had the important task of setting the tone for the week.
New Taftie Vivienne Schwartz ‘29 reflected on her first Spirit Week, sharing that “it was so much fun, just to see the different takes everyone had on country vs country club. I felt that it really ignited the spark of our school spirit, building up to Hotchkiss Day.” Some of the standouts included: Sadie Devino ‘26, who carried around a piece of straw in her mouth all day, the perfect accompaniment to her southern accent, and both Caroline Traina ‘26 and Abby Butler ‘26, who committed to the ultimate country club look, rocking khakis and polos along with their golf clubs (and they were happy to show you their golf swings, whether you requested it or not). Regardless of whether Tafties embraced country tradition or opted for the more New England preppy look, it’s safe to say that this was only the beginning.
On Tuesday, you may have said hi to the wrong friend one or two times. You aren’t losing your mind, it’s Twin Tuesday! Twins, triplets, and even quadruplets were spotted strutting down sporting matching outfits. The dynamic duo we depend on, whether it’s to start assembly or just for a hello in the hallway, Head Mons Isaac Obeng ‘26 and Louisa Prentice ‘26, showed up sporting matching suits and ties (a classic Issac outfit). Has anyone seen Louisa? Tuesday was also a great opportunity to wear the outfit you can’t quite find another occasion for. Boys Hockey seniors Lincoln Durfee, Carson Lowry, Jason Rothstein, and Brady Smith’s outfits definitely screamed “RED!”, sporting their old team tracksuits from the ‘23 season.
By midweek, Spirit Week was in full swing. Wednesday’s two-part theme offered the first choice of Cozy Day, where students had the perfect excuse to roll out of bed at 8:13 and still make it to class on time. The other theme, ‘Anything but a backpack,’ sparked creativity, with makeshift backpacks made from blankets, toy strollers, crates, trash bags, and guitar cases. Mids Lucy Atwood, Sophie Stimson, Ashton Gibbins, and Lindsey Kunzelman were seen dragging their books behind them in trash bags while dressed for (what we can only assume would be) an amazing slumber party. Other Tafties were seen in colorful animal onesies or even just plain sweatpants and sweatshirts; the half day was an overwhelming success, with students and faculty alike enjoying a morning of relaxing and comfortable clothing.
Thursday was the classic Throwback Thursday. Yet, rhino spirit seemed to falter; perhaps it was a sneaky bearcat smuggling away our pride, or students were running out of ideas. Regardless, Seniors Sofia Smith, Liv Samuelson, Whilelmina Houck, and Clairisse Moocha threw their outfits back to the era of neon leotards and jazzercise tapes in their 1980s attire (is that Material Girl I hear playing in the background?) Some others threw their outfits back even further; the School Mons were seen in some classic founding father attire, and a Louisa Prentice ‘26 even sported a Declaration of Independence costume. Although quite a large portion of students seemed to be only ‘throwing back’ to Wednesday’s cozy day sporting (the same?) sweatpants and sweatshirt, all hope was not lost. Head Mon Isaac saved the day with a late-night, study hall email that seemed to strike the hearts and minds of the student body. He concluded with, “As one of your Head Mon’s, it deeply hurts me when this community doesn’t bring all I KNOW it has to offer.” It’s safe to say that as the students slept that night, Isaac’s words echoed in the dreams of Tafties, waking up prepared for the last full day of Spirit Week.
Friday was generational day: freshmen as babies, sophomores as teens, juniors as millennials, and seniors as senior citizens. For those who participated, this was arguably the most fun of the week. Freshmen replaced their water bottles for baby bottles, wrapped up tight in blankies, and sucked on pacifiers. On the other end of the spectrum, the senior (citizen) class received many compliments and approving nods from teachers, as they adjusted their glasses and asked their teachers to “speak a little bit louder, please!” Golden girls, Alex Werner ‘26, Annie Wagner ‘26, and Allison Palmer ‘26, emulated this beautifully. Alex reflected on her jump to the future, shocked: “Some of my closest friends walked right by me, not even recognizing me with my luscious silver Afro and cane! Those who underestimated my outfit quickly changed their minds when I reached into my floral dress pocket and offered them a caramel.” Other standouts included Kaiel Casserly ‘26, Omar Minaya ‘26, and Owen Palmer ‘26, who just really, really looked like grandpas.
Though Spirit Week may have come to a close on Saturday, it was only the beginning of a fiery, red Hotchkiss day. Students packed into buses, faces painted red, cow bells ringing, and poured out into Lakeville, chanting “Go Big Red!”
