Throughout the school year, there are multiple assemblies to check in on sports and activities to see how their season is going. During these pep rallies, the school enjoys setting up games that are open for the whole school to sign up for. These are fun for the student body to participate in and cheer for from the crowd.
The main purpose of pep rallies is to get people excited or hyped up. Included in the assemblies are enjoyable games, a rundown of in-season activities’ accomplishments, and performances from activities. Amy Tursi, science teacher and Student Senate advisor, said, “Student Senate is in charge of them; they usually come up with the games. Sometimes teachers will volunteer some ideas…” Many students enjoy participating in games that teachers and peers come up with.
Student Senate plays a significant role in how the rallies go. They set up activities and music and introduce what is going to happen next. When deciding on games for the assemblies, the ideas have to go through Tursi and then eventually Semler to be approved. She enjoys watching students laugh and have fun during the pep rallies and when they show a little bit of their competitive side.
Students of any grade can volunteer to participate in these fun activities, though some students may not feel comfortable engaging. Kaleb Diers, junior, said, “I don’t consider it embarrassing because I remember how entertaining it was to watch past assemblies, but I could see how it could be from the view of other students who might not be as comfortable with the rest of the student body.” Being in front of a crowd, especially if it is one’s peers, can be nerve-racking to some but exciting to others.
Although some students may find the activities not worth their time or not enjoyable, the Student Senate and many teachers still take the time to make sure students have a short, yet fun, break in their school days. Diers said, “I think putting the games at the end of it helps to wrap the pep rally up in a positive way since a lot of students talk about it afterward.”
Usually, the assemblies are during second block and run for about 30 minutes. For students who have an open second block, it may be hard for them to be here at that time to participate. Others may have a Kirkwood class that can interfere with the time frame. Even though not all of the students can be in the building, there are still a good amount of students who sign up for the games. Although, Tursi said, “I have a hard time getting teachers to volunteer.” Many teachers don’t like to sign up, but when they do, it makes the assemblies more entertaining.
Many in the student body find the pep rallies enjoyable. Diers said, “I think we should keep including fun engaging games at the end of every pep rally because during them, students can express their competitive side and true pride for Marion High School.”
