Every student knows the feeling: the bleachers rumbling, the crowd cheering, and air horns wailing within the gym walls. The school spirit during this assembly has never been stronger than it was this year. After 13 years of watching the seniors rise to victory, the class of 2019 managed to take the win at both homecoming and winter carnival. The hollering and chanting from this year’s underdogs filled the gym as they chanted “our house!” for the first time in over a decade.

So what led the juniors to their success? The junior class president and VP both had a lot to say about the efforts that go into making the week of winter carnival one to remember every year. While it is the student council the organizes and hosts the assembly, they are determined to give credit where it is due; the student body takes full responsibility for creating such an energetic environment over the course of the week. According to Junior class president Griffin Hansen, the assembly is entirely reliant on “the students wanting to be involved and wanting to see their team win… you couldn’t get anywhere without the students”.

Behind the scenes, however, many students go the extra mile, and put their all into the organization and operation of the assembly itself. “It’s done by a lot of really talented people in a really short amount of time” Hansen claims, “and that’s really the magic of it”. Students voluntarily stay after school and into the night to perfect skits, practice lines, and organize games for the assembly. After nearly a month of hard work and dedication, these students watch as their classmates whoop and holler as their friends play dodge ball, knockout, or volleyball. Junior Vice President Justin “Scott-with-two-T’s” Kaminski reflects on his experience during the assembly with pride; “We’re in the moment and you just see all of the classes screaming and getting hyped. And just seeing the outcome that we created makes me feel so good about it. It means we succeeded. We did it right. We did a good job.”

Over the course of their high school career, students learn just how competitive these pep rallies can get. Students paint their bodies, write on mirrors and dress up in elaborate costumes just to add an extra point to their overall score. “It’s a really good way for our school to come together, but at the same time against each other. It’s really competitive and fun.” says Kaminski, although many student council members understand that “it takes a lot to go in front of the school” and participate in crazy activities.

While it may seem daunting at first, participating in school pep rallies is an incredible experience to have as a high school student. “There’s nothing wrong with putting yourself out there and having fun” Hansen says. Kaminski agrees, as he and his classmates have seen so many people “come out of their shell” to support their school and their class. The overwhelming positivity from students is what fuels the spirit among the entire student body, but going that extra mile is “always something students have to do voluntarily” according to Hansen. Participation from every student is crucial to achieve such success as the class of 2019. When each student puts their all into dress up days, games, and the support of their classmates, “there is hope to beat the seniors” again.