2007 graduate, and judge of 2013 spirit week dance-off, Nick Carter now works as a marketer in Benton, but those who were here five years ago, remember him as the student who began senior spirit week.

Carter was elected class president with the vision to bring his entire class together.

“I got a push from influential teachers like Michael Daly and Margaret Sorrows, who believed in my leadership ability,” Carter said. “I wanted to help bring everyone together. Senior year was our year, and I wanted to be a big part of that.”

During his run for election, Carter said he already had ideas of starting a “spirit week.”

“I had it in my head already. I wanted to make senior week to bring everyone together and enjoy one week as a class. It was also the first year we did a senior breakfast, lunch and dinner,” he said.

After Carter and several of his friends were elected to office, the real planning began. His team found a plan that would provide the most fun and met administration approval.

“Once we were elected, that summer, we met at my house with [senior sponsors Nancy] Hunt and [Michael] Daly and brainstormed,” he said. “We went to Mrs. Buick, our principal, and the administration to meet with them once we had a plan. We were able to work it out and we got it approved. We were all pretty excited.”

Much like the current spirit week, the officers created four groups and each had a different team color. Each day had competitions and members dressed to support their color team. But some things have evolved.

“There wasn’t as much decorations as there are now,” Hunt said. “It’s really developed and each year adds their own twist, like theme days.”

Carter said the most memorable day was called “Up Chuck and Puss Day.” Team members competed in disgusting activities from eating dog food cake to bobbing for pigs’ feet.

“That day, we had a competition in the gym with visqueen on the court and every team competed in gross nasty things,” he said. “I remember a picture someone on yearbook took of a red team member eating worms. But everyone loved it and was laughing. It was gross and awesome at the same time.”

While some may think the administration would have discouraged such games, Carter said everyone was supportive and were happy to see so many students involved.

Hunt said adults were not involved in the planning any of the activities, but Nick and his staff did not need any help.

“Nick was an awesome, awesome president. He set a really high bar,” Hunt said. “They [student officers] came up with everything. Back then, they had an hour lunch and it was much, much more campus-wide activities instead of just in the gym. It was new and it was awesome.”

Each year Carter’s dream carries on through the senior class uniting groups and individuals who would never meet, much less plan and perform and dance together, and on the last day the class comes together as one color.

“Each clique, if you will, was involved. Even people who normally didn’t show school spirit participated and had fun,” he said. “I can remember on the last day when we give awards and find out what team won, we all wore blue because although we competed during the week, we were all together as once class. We had been for 13 years.”

Carter said he hopes senior week keeps building momentum and adds to the great memories of each senior year.

“My hope was it’d just get bigger and better every year,” Carter said. “I know it is one of those weeks I’ll never forget and that’s what it is all about.”