The end of spring break officially marks the beginning of ROAR week, which calls on students to show respect, opportunity, attitude and responsibility.

“ROAR is a school-wide initiative that was put in place to foster a safe and supportive environment for students and staff,” assistant principal Mary Miller said. “The goal is to create a positive climate and sense of belonging in our school community.”

The school kicked it off with a celebration at the front door, which included the cheer and dance teams, the band, teachers and administrators, the tiger mascot, a festive balloon arch and Dr. Stuart with the T-shirt cannon, all to welcome students back from the break.

Junior Ela Pananon said it was a bit “overwhelming” for six in the morning.

“I thought it was a little too dramatic to be honest,” she said. “But I thought the overall gesture was cute.”

Throughout the week, students who show any of the ROAR qualities will receive tickets from staff and be entered into a raffle with the opportunity to win a prize. On select days, snow cones will be sold during lunch and outdoor activities will be held.

Pananon thinks it makes the school livelier and provides “healthy competition” and topics of discussion.

“It’s kind of cool when the school’s doing something like this, because it feels more like a community,” Pananon said.

According to Miller, the ROAR mindset has been a part of EHS for the last couple of years. A “high school leadership team,” called the Tiger Team, have been working with staff to find ways of reinforcing and incorporating it into daily student life.

“Tiger Team is comprised of school staff and students that plan and organize activities to help students who are new to the district, building, or need a point of emphasis or support when it comes to EHS,” Miller said.

Tiger team member Abby Bledsoe said she joined because of the positive outlook the club promotes. She thinks ROAR is important for preserving positive ideals throughout the school.

“It helps to bring awareness to the kids and helps us be more unified as a student community,” Bledsoe said. “We’re able to be kinder to each other and respect each other…it just provides a better atmosphere and environment.”