The EH Hive has been bringing school spirit to the YellowJacket teams for several years. They work to empower our student section, despite any outcomes of the games. The tradition of choosing Hive leaders; however, seems to be a mystery to most people..
Choosing Hive leaders is based on how well you represent EHHS. The new leaders each year are generally chosen by the previous senior leaders. The more spirit, the more likely you will succeed as a leader. But, being a Hive Leader isn’t all fun. There are requirements to getting chosen to lead, and if you don’t uphold them: your spot is not guaranteed. One of our leaders Trevor Archambault goes on to explain that you have to have an outgoing personality and you have to be someone who can fit comfortably in a group setting. You need to be loud and keep the student section in good vibes even when the game may or may not be in our favor. One of the Hive’s biggest rules is that you, “have to show up.” Showing up is a crucial part of being a leader so showing up to every game to show your support is a huge requirement.
The leaders are also chosen based on their desire to be a leader. As Trevor shared, you have to really want to show up and be involved. The leadership role “ attracts people [who are willing to get] out of their comfort zone… in a way it brings us together as a school/community.”
The Hive has also added a new addition to the swarm. Erica Canfield is a senior and track athlete at EHHS. She’s attended games and shown her support throughout her years of EHHS athletics and has recently become a new member and leader to our Hive. Erica explains, “Being a hive leader is like no other. It’s one of those things where you have to experience it first hand to truly understand.” as she goes on to experience what it’s like behind the scenes of planning and uplifting our student sections. She continues,“Being able to get all the students together and cheer on our team no matter what is an experience I wouldn’t want to change for the world.” Erica has become an amazing addition to our Hive community and does an amazing job at supporting and communicating with our student sections.
The Hive leaders are so important to the games. Erica explains that as leaders “we have to choose a theme that’s fun for everyone.” This can bring some struggles due to conflicting opinions from our students, but our leaders know how to pull each other together despite our differences. But how does our student section feel about themes for games? Are the themes effective?
Dayanara Loja shares, “It gives us something to look forward too… it’s inclusive.”
While Aniyah Franklin explains, “It gives everyone a chance to participate and join in on the school spirit.”
Similarly, Hailey Ahumada explained, “Student sections creates a community where everyone feeds into each others excitement.”
Some impacts of the Hive and the Hive leaders are much more explicit behind the scenes. Leading the Hive comes with responsibility and commitment. Being a Hive leader and a staple for our community comes with its perks and its downsides, but overall it brings East Haven together as a community and allows for more inclusivity during our games. You matter just as much as the people in jerseys, that is what it’s all about.
