On May 20 students at West had a shorten class schedule and were directed to the gym for a special pep rally. Some students did not even know what they were in for!
Once in the gym, the students filled the bleachers, sat with friends, and prepared for the fun. Loud music filled the gym and most students showed excitement for the event.
There was a lot that went into this event. It had to be approved by the administration, planned and organized. To top things off, teachers had to agree to play. The Boys and Girls basketball team were confident and prepared to play.
“The staff was not able to practice before hand,” said Coach Laura Jefferson.
This was evident in the game. It was a great opportunity to have the staff come together and have fun with students. Some staff was helping with keeping the score, officiating the game, cheering, and managing crowd control.
“My favorite part of it all was being able to interact with the basketball teams in a laid-back and humorous way outside of practices and games, as well as watching Coach Bracey get so aggressive on the court,” laughingly said Coach Jefferson.
Everyone enjoyed the music, and some students wanted to hear more songs. The band played traditional songs that they perform at some of the in-season football and basketball games. There were teachers and staff on the side lines with pom-poms and matching cheerleader outfits.
During the school year, West Johnston typically only hosts 1-2 pep rallies.
Pep rallies provide an amazing way to make students come together, and have something to look forward to during the school day. With that point, this does not mean we need to have one every month, but when special events or months roll around, taking 30 minutes to gather students into an area to share something communal like school spirit or accomplishments can prove very effective.
The event at West Johnston was a long one, and students sometimes do not require over two hours of an event because we easily loose focus, but having a small event like this every few months could really help the school environment as a whole.
The Shaker Bison states that “They provide a respite from the demands of the classrooms and teachers, and therefore help students recharge and reduce stress. Its easy to feel like high school is just about classes, extracurricular activities, and grades, but its not and pep rallies help us remember that.”
Its true, sometimes school feels like the system is forcing us into dedicating four years of our life to college preparation, and for students who don’t plan on going to college, it feels useless from them.
What is key about this is that high school and younger grades are all extremely important for developing young minds who need to share thoughts with others alike. Without it, students lose time to learn detrimental life skills, and social interactions.
When an event like this is scheduled into the school day, it allows students to take a break from their work, and all of the stress from school without having to plan and go through the work of attending an out-of-school event. This can be extremely beneficial to students who typically would never attend other sports games or events, or who are not able to.
When students are able to see their own coaches, teachers, athletic directors and administration interacting in a light-hearted and fun way, it can also have a positive effect on the image of them as mentors in the school.
Imagine seeing your high school principal on the sidelines of a basketball game cheering for the staff and players, or your English teacher out on the floor shooting three-pointers. The pep rally was a great way to start the week and celebrate the end of the semester. The students won by a mile.
