Lisa Spyrnal

Blue Fan Group members and their alumni decked out in North spirit at this year’s homecoming game

This past month, North’s Blue Fan Group was awarded and named the 2023 Illinois Football Student Section of the Year by The Student Section Report, earning their first recognition in the club’s history. Working tirelessly to make North’s sporting events, assemblies and send-offs as engaging and exciting as possible, the Blue Fan Group brings spirit and energy everywhere they go.

“It definitely was a ‘woah’ moment,” said senior Joey Torelli, officer and liaison of Blue Fan Group. “It’s reinvigorated us going into winter.” 

Led by a team of six students, Blue Fan Group makes an effort to attend all of North’s student-featuring events to make everyone feel supported and appreciated. Consistently facilitating a sense of togetherness and support, the students involved strive to share the spirit and love of North to all. 

“We go to every single sport and make sure there’s student representation… showing the students that they’re supported and that they have their own fan club,” said Torelli. 

The Student Section Report attended every school in the state and awarded North’s student section first place out of every other high school, recognizing all aspects of the team that made it happen. Their energy, unity and consistent spirit made Blue Fan Group and the student section at North stand out from the others, including their social media team that “made it known who’s best in the state,” according to the award. 

Blue Fan’s advisers, Joe Benoit and Lisa Spyrnal, have also recognized their club for its accomplishments in stimulating crowds and spirit not only for football season, but events in general. 

“We have consistency in numbers,” said Spyrnal. “Whether it was one item or you were decked out [in spirit wear] head to toe, everyone was there.” 

Though the club thrives off of their consistent student participation, they are held together by their student-based leadership team. Their group spends their 6:45 a.m. meetings organizing for the upcoming events of North and ensuring that every student feels appreciated.

“They’re coming to the table with really fun and new ideas to try and build community and spirit, and I just think that’s outstanding. It begins and ends with the leadership of the group,” said Benoit. 

While they may have been awarded for their leadership and participation from the student members, Blue Fan leaders also recognize how important it is to have strong adult advisors to push them out of their comfort zone and help everything run smoothly. 

“I’d say that [the advisors’] planning and then on top of that, to everybody else in the group, [their] energy, the ability to not be afraid to be able to speak to crowds and get people moving and play good music and things like that and make exciting themed days … that’s all what really put us in the front,” said Torelli. 

In addition to the leadership within the group, all of its members have contributed greatly to the success of their community and recognition by The Student Section Report. 

“I think everybody in the club is important no matter what,” said Torelli. “They all have a contribution to make.”