by J1 Reporters Jordan Moser and Melina Piperis

It’s an early fall afternoon, and silence falls upon the East Gym. You’re surrounded by your classmates, who are eagerly anticipating the start of Walk-A-Thon (WAT). Hope of victory and fear of failure fills the atmosphere. You watch as class officers enter the gym and explain what will consume your next four weeks.

That’s how Walk-A-Thon has been kicked off for as long as Marian girls can remember. This year, however, students have been forced to adapt to the current pandemic restrictions. Crusaders had to find unity, despite being physically disconnected.

When it comes to school spirit, Marian girls are never lacking. A typical day at Marian includes theatrical performances taking place in the halls, and almost every student singing in unison. Since they were unable to raise morale side by side, rallying school spirit required more energy than usual.

The 2020 WAT kick-off was unlike any other. To celebrate the start of the fundraiser, Class Officers and Student Board members created videos from home to help motivate their classmates. Unfortunately, the dependence on technology caused viewing complications. Several students were unable to watch the kick off attempt, and others were disengaged due to the digital format. “I really didn’t feel as though there was either plenty of school spirit or a competitiveness to get first,” junior Maddie Mullen said. However, Marian girls still found a way to raise hype for the event.

Upon being asked about how Crusaders pulled off a successful Walk-A-Thon this year, Ms. Jessica Abel, Student Board co-moderator, responded, “(the) girls are really creative.” She went on to explain that despite the anticlimactic kick off, she was impressed by students’ enthusiasm for the school fundraiser.

Regardless of the slow start to this year’s Walk-A-Thon, Marian girls have once again proven their commitment to school spirit. The administration and faculty are proud of the Marian student body’s efforts towards supporting their school community and raising nearly $70,000. The 2020 Walk-A-Thon was definitely one for the books.