"Seas The Year" -- FCHS's New Motto Washes To The Shore

By Jaden Bowman -- Eagle Staff Writer

Eagles are encouraged to "'Seas' the Year #eagleexcellence" per the school's motto for this year. Posters and bulletin boards are courtesy of Executive Board. (Photo by Jaden Bowman)

For the first time in a while, Franklin County High School has a theme for the 2023-2024 school year. This school year, FCHS will embrace the motto, "Seas The Year", a play on the phrase "seize the year."

The motto was created together by administrators and teachers in a large conference over the summer.

“A bunch of teachers went to the Jostens Renaissance Leadership Conference in [Dallas], Texas this summer,” explained Olivia Chitwood, senior and student-leader in Spirit Club. “They decided to bring [the motto] back to the school and use it throughout the school year to bring more pep and spirit.”

Coach Marsha Lopez, who went to the convention, embraced the motto wholeheartedly and encouraged others to do the same. Said cheerleader Olivia Pate, “When [Coach Lopez] brought [the motto] back, she asked the cheer team if we thought it’d be a good idea ... we thought it would."

For some, the big question surrounding the motto is, what does the sea have to do with the school year? Why not just say, “Seize the year"?

“It is simply a play on words,” stated Crutchfield.

An interactive bulletin board in the Law Building that reads "How are you going to 'Seas' the year?" Students are able to write their responses on post-it notes. (Photo by Jaden Bowman)

Although the 2024 Homecoming Theme will be ocean related, Allison Lynch, a school administrator explained, "The theme was not chosen because of the Homecoming theme; it was chosen after attendance at a school climate and culture conference that encouraged schools to develop a theme for their school year that incorporated fun elements."

The motto will also be incorporated throughout the coming months. “We’ll have our Spirit Week for Homecoming,” explained Pate. There will also be “random little beach days through September,” Pate added, similar to the high school's Beach Day on the first day of school.

Pate encourages seniors to “‘seas’ their final year at school” and new students to “seas’ their opportunity as a freshman" by participating in the themed days. While the motto is a way to bring exciting events to the school, it can’t stand alone.

Chitwood concluded, “The whole school should [keep] the motto going. It shouldn’t be just one person or just one club. If the whole school gets involved and engaged then it will make the motto that much better.”