In the student section of every home football game, one student’s voice can be heard above all the others.
“Oooo, alay, alay, alay!” she shouts.

“Oooo, alay, alay, alay!” a chorus of students repeats.

That voice leading everyone belongs to Senior Gifty Coleman, who has made it her personal mission to keep school spirit alive at Socastee. She and a few other spirited chanters known as “Brave girls” keep the “Gold Mine” loud and wild. 

“I am one of the people that helps to initiate the cheers and happiness in our student section and for our team,” she said.

Gifty also runs down to the field with the flag and cheers even when the team is losing.

“When our team is down and losing and needs to feel together, we are all separated, that is when we need to feel most together” she said.

Gifty is among a number of staff and students bringing school spirit back to Socastee after all the changes of the past few years.

Social Studies Teacher and Student Council Advisor Ms. Zenita Carr, who is a Socastee alumnus, said school spirit was hard to maintain during the pandemic.

“Due to COVID, the spirit decreased because we were not all together, and now that we are all back we can be diligent in increasing the spirit and the support for the school,” she said. 

She and the student council are doing a lot to try and bring spirit back, including organizing multiple spirit dress-up weeks, pep rallies for homecoming, and theme nights for the student sections at athletic events.

“I think it is important that the school has a common goal and helps to support Socastee in all that it does with athletics and academics.”

Bringing school spirit back is a team effort that includes the support of staff. Tropical Thursdays was started by Coach Hudson as a way to increase spirit. A number of staff members also go all out on Spirit Week dress-up days, such as Coach Cambell who dressed up as Darth Vadar on Character Day, and everyone wears black and gold on Fridays.

“The faculty and staff does a great job in participating in the spirit days and events, and if they continue to do that hopefully it will begin to have an impact on the students,” Ms. Carr said. 

Another example of a student who works tirelessly in the fight for school spirit is student body president and senior Mac Malambri. Mac tries to lead by example, not afraid to show up at a football game He also MCs the pep rallies.

“I think a lot of people don’t believe it’s cool or fun to show spirit,” he said, “and you have to show people that it is worth it and there is something beyond themselves that they can be a part of, and that is what school spirit is.”

Since Mac is a senior this year, some worry what the school spirit will be like after he leaves. But Mac believes the Class of 2023’s spirit can inspire others.

 “My hope is that as seniors we set an example and teach school spirit and that the school will continue to grow and become a better school after we leave,” he said.”It is on the underclassman to choose to learn from what we leave behind.”