Two Mercer Island students noticed school spirit was on the decline. Now, in their senior year, they wanted to do something about it.
Mercer Island High School (MIHS) seniors Liat Perlman and Sarah Hobson have created a new website to showcase and sell spirit wear that is handmade by students. Perlman and Hobson launched their website, Spirit206, just a few weeks ago.
Perlman and Hobson said students tend to wear more handmade spirit wear than spirit wear sold by the school.
“We noticed a lot of people around school were making their own spirit wear,” Perlman said.
She said students often make spirit wear and sell their items at lunch or between class periods.
“There was no real way to streamline what was happening,” Perlman said.
Hobson said they saw a market for creating a platform for students to sell their handmade spirit wear. Perlman and Hobson got the idea for Spirit206 over the summer and officially launched the website in late August.
Spirit206 celebrates student creativity, Perlman and Hobson agreed. It gives student artists a platform to create and sell spirit wear.
Perlman, an artist herself, said she’s excited about Spirit206. She said it’s a win-win for everyone. She said students get to create unique and artistic spirit wear and get paid for it, and other students get to enjoy showcasing their new spirit wear.
The items Perlman and Hobson are looking for are “fun accent items,” such as headbands, earrings, scarves, necklaces and so on.
Currently on the website are hand-designed denim skirts and jackets made by Perlman, headbands made by Nicole Hibi, and “spearrings” (spirit earrings) made by Michelle Travis.
Perlman and Hobson aren’t opposed to student artists wanting to make and sell other spirit wear items like T-shirts and sweatshirts.
Perlman said Spirit206 is important because it can help students bond.
“School unity lacks at times and we hope this helps people come together,” she said. “It’s nice to go to games or shows and everyone having school spirit.”
Spirit206 isn’t limited to just MIHS students, it’s open to any Island resident.
Perlman and Hobson hope to pass Spirit206 to underclassmen to keep unique spirit going after they graduate in June.
To learn more about Spirit206, go online to spirit206.com.
