On Friday night, Sept. 25, surprisingly half the football stands were empty when the varsity team kicked off against Newbury Park. Towards halftime, the stands were still only partially filled.

Perhaps the school spirit of Venice High has been exorcised or is simply fading away. Clearly it’s not as strong as other schools’. There’s no enthusiasm to show school pride. Students at football games don’t even cheer louder than the adults, only small crowds gather in the gym to pump up volleyball or basketball players and the soccer team barely has 20 people in the stands.

Where are the students, where are the friends, even the staff? Where are the Venice Gondoliers?

Senior Colbie Witherspoon brags pompously about Hamilton and Santa Monica High while he throws the name Venice to the dumps. He told me the only reason he comes here is because his mom said Hamilton was in a bad neighborhood and Samohi wouldn’t allow him to attend.

He has attended Venice for three years, so you’d think he’d have grown to love the V by now. When he opens his mouth about Samo, Hami or Palisades in class, we hope he shuts up soon after.

If you merely wake up, go to your classes and then go home, of course you’ll think Venice is boring. If you think that, then it must mean you aren’t in a club, a sport or do anything extracurricular and merely attend Venice.

Before you are quick to criticize Venice, maybe you should do something to contribute not only the school, but to the community as well.

Instead of being bitter and complaining about everything, how about you burst your independent bubble and come to school events?

I see an awful lot of tweets showing what other high schools do and Venice students quote the tweet, adding “High school goals,” but they never do anything to achieve those goals.

Attend the football games Friday nights, go to the gym for volleyball or basketball games, the baseball or softball field, the pool and support our teams.

The administration needs to post sport games on venicehigh.net’s calendar. Games should also be mentioned during morning announcements. How would the average student find out if volleyball is going to have a game if no one announces it? Football shouldn’t be the only sport getting the love. We have multiple teams on campus that’d love to see their fellow classmates or fans watch them play.

Leadership should also assume responsibility. They’re in charge of getting the word out on school events and as well as announcing sport games. One poster on the staircase in the West Building does not do justice. Numerous posters should be plastered around the school.

At home football games, the away stands should never be more filled or louder than the home side. If everyone you’re sitting around with is quiet during the game, pump up the crowd yourself. If I, someone who quit the football team, can still cheer them on, so can anyone else.

If you’re not a sports person, then buy a ticket and watch a school play or musical when it comes around. Ms. Traci Thrasher and the students and others involved with the play and musical do an excellent job at producing them.

Sporting white and blue on Fridays can help show school spirit. Don’t just walk by the pep rallies on the Junior Lawn. Crowd around and watch the cheer and dance team do what they do best and then get involved in the activities during the pep rallies as well.

If more people got involved with school events, school spirit would grow. Do not be afraid to go all out on Spirit Week. We all see on social media of how wild others schools get during Spirit Week. Why aren’t Venice students doing what other schools do to show spirit? Spirit Week is the first week of November, dress up for the themes.

Students also shouldn’t be the only ones who show spirit, I’m talking about you Venice teachers and staff. The staff and teachers are a part of the Venice community as well. So we would hope they would show spirit too. After all they do work at the school.

Perhaps with all the bad things happening to the school last year, the spirit of the school has been drained away. However we shouldn’t let that affect our school in general. We shouldn’t be ashamed to say we are Gondoliers.

We should be proud to be attending Venice. What other school has won the Western League for twelve consecutive years in the recent decade? Venice.

Our school also has the only sports medicine team in LAUSD that is state and nationally recognized as well as being a Division I National Sport Safe School.

We’ve had volleyball, golf and softball all win city championships in these past five years. I’m merely scratching the surface of what’s good about Venice because there is a long list.

Hopefully having a new energetic principal will help add to our spirit. She has the determination to bring back the sense of community to our school. As students, we cannot let her do it all by herself. We have the power to revive school pride.

Venice High students shouldn’t let school spirit die. Get involved with your class, go to fundraisers and help raise money for more activities. Wear blue and be rowdy at sport games. We are Venice Gondoliers, and we should all be damn proud of it. The staff and teachers are a part of the Venice community as well. So we would hope they would show spirit too. After all they do work at the school.