Snail Pound and Islander Girls have long been a part of MIHS culture, but there are persistent disagreements between students and staff regarding the value and missions of these groups. The Islander interviewed students and faculty members for their thoughts on the impact of Snail Pound and Islander Girls on dynamics within the school.
“Yes, our admin team is aware of the concerns expressed by students and staff regarding these unofficial social groups,” Principal Nick Wold said. “This is a complex issue and one that surfaced far longer than I have been at MIHS. It is our hope to work directly with these students should they choose to be school-affiliated.”
There are roughly 25 juniors and seniors in Snail Pound each year, while Islander Girls consists of 12 seniors. MIHS senior and Snail Pound member Wyatt Acker wishes Snail Pound was more inclusive.
“I think it would have been so much more fun if more people were in it,” Acker said. “But then again, I guess the exclusivity is part of the reason why people want to be in it.”
English teacher Eric Goldhammer described Snail Pound and Islander Girls as “the popular boys club, the popular girls club. It’s almost a Hollywood version of what it means to be popular in high school.”
Acker defended how Snail Pound boosts spirit.
“We try our best to use it positively, to influence people to go to games and events; not just football games and big events, but also girls soccer, other sports,” Acker said. “I think Snail Pound is a good helping hand, and as long as we’re not negatively affecting the reputation of the school, I don’t think there is a problem.”
Members of Islander Girls and Snail Pound select the group for the next year. MIHS senior and Islander Girls member Naomi Do emphasized that the traditions associated with her group are generally positive.
“I really like the tradition of it being passed down,” Do said. “I have bins full of clothes that have been passed down through generations. From a bigger outside perspective, it’s a positive thing, but I think if you’re trying to be in it, that’s when it can become toxic.”
Math teacher Kate Yoder argued that Snail Pound and Islander Girls should not be considered “spirit groups” because they are exclusive.
“A spirit group doesn’t have qualifications of belonging to the group,” Yoder said. “If you want to be part of the spirit, you can join. When you start nominating or having certain people be part of groups, and you’re basing it on looks or popularity, it’s not inclusive and it’s superficial.”
Do commented that this year’s Islander Girls are socially diverse.
“I think the group of girls now is honestly a really good group of people that are really nice,” Do said. “I get the exclusivity thing, but it’s like max two girls or three girls from multiple different friend groups.”
Students in Snail Pound wear their widely recognized vests to school and outside events. Some students decorate the vests with patches.
“The patches on the Snail Pound shirts have been for sexual conquests or sexual acts that have been performed,” Yoder said. “It seems to be very sexually motivated. It also seems to be very sexist in general.”
Acker enjoys the patch tradition, but he acknowledged that some go too far.
“There are dirty little jokes and innuendos hidden within some of them,” Acker said. “If it’s a hidden innuendo, or just something interesting, or something that you like as a person, I don’t think that’s that bad. There is a fine line though and there are some patches that teeter on that line.”
Special education teacher Andrea Confalone compares Snail Pound and Islander Girls to Greek life.
“They have kind of a fraternity and sorority culture,” Confalone said.
Confalone is also the adviser of the Flag Dudes, a school-sanctioned spirit group.
“We’re trying to change that to people that are really leaders in the building,” Confalone said. “I know that a couple of the people that were Flag Dudes this year said they chose not to be in [Snail] Pound because they didn’t want teachers to think poorly of them.”
Goldhammer, Yoder and Confalone share the belief that the outfits associated with Snail Pound and Islander Girls should be banned in school.
“I think the administration and the district should be the one saying this is not appropriate,” Yoder said. “Taking no action, in my mind, is a sign of approval.”
Yoder reports that the administration is aware of the teachers’ concerns.
“We have had faculty meetings,” Yoder said. “Snail Pound for sure has come up.”
Yoder and Goldhammer expressed that it changes their perception of students when they associate with Snail Pound or Islander Girls.
“We always try to view our students for who they are in the classroom, but I think it inevitably does,” Goldhammer said. “I wouldn’t say it necessarily impacts the way I treat them or anything about performance in class, but I think it definitely changes the perception of who they are.”
Acker believes teachers do not treat him differently because of his association with Snail Pound.
“[History teacher] Dino [Annest] will give me a hard time, and [science teacher Rita] Harvey did tell me to take the jacket off last year, but I’ve never blatantly been sat down and disrespected or treated differently because I wear a jacket,” Acker said.
Acker has been shocked by how Snail Pound’s reputation has reflected on him.
“It was something for me and my friends to do,” Acker said. “If I knew that it would negatively affect my reputation to the extent that it has, I probably wouldn’t have done it.”
Goldhammer encourages students to consider how associating with the groups influences how they are perceived.
“It makes me nervous because I see a lot of really good kids involved in these groups that have these reputations, true or false, but that’s what it’s outwardly projecting to the community,” Goldhammer said. “I really hope all students, both in Snail Pound and Islander Girls, understand what it projects to someone looking at the outside.”
