Making history, Mr. Horan and the Student Government Association (SGA) brought the first of many-to-come official Spring Pep rallies to the high school in honor of winter and spring-sport athletes on May 3rd. Featuring student MCs, battle of the classes, a performance from the dance team, and of course an entertaining dragging of Mr. Horan by the entire girl’s flag football team during a game tug-of-war; the event delivered on its promise of pep!
After a week of state testing, the pep rally offered juniors and freshman (as well as the other students and faculty) a much needed break as they worked through the last stretch of the school year.
“Being able to go out on the field and soak up some sun with my friends was definitely nice” details junior Aashna Patel.
In terms of organization, the logistics of a springtime pep rally really needed to be sorted out before anything could take place.
Advisor of SGA, Mr. Horan, explains how “a spring and winter pep rally has always been something we wanted to do but for various [reasons] it was difficult to get everything completely behind it … it’s hard to do a pep rally in the winter because it’s too cold and there’s too many of us to fit in the gym”.
On top of all of that, hosting a rally in the spring meant that many fall season entertainments, such as the marching band, were unavailable because of their off-season. Organizing clubs and winter sports teams proved to be a formidable difficulty, but Mr. Horan and SGA were able to push through and worked with what they had to make the rally a success. Utilizing in-season groups like the girls flag football team and bringing back out the dance team, there was entertainment to go around.
Mr. Horan first introduced pep rallies to the high school during the 2016-2017 school year with the attempted “Battle of the Classes” under the approval of the previous principal, Mr. Lester. The preppy predecessor however, proved to be inconvenient, as they took place afterschool and had a hard time gathering attendance by students. The current SGA supervisor therefore, proposed an in-school replacement for the “Battle of the Classes”; what we know now today to be our biyearly pep rallies.
The pep rally gave students a new opportunity to get involved in the school, with this being the first year student MC’s announced the event. In the spring, not only did MC’s include presenters like senior Laythan Gill and juniors Julia Hubbard with Ann Zamor, but also gave new students the opportunity to take to the mic, with chants performed by senior Matthew Efodili.
Also, we can’t forget about the unconventional rendition of “The National Anthem” by Om Sharma on his electric guitar, a definite crowd stirrer and challenge-to-top performance for next year!
As Mr. Horan puts it, “pep rallies give people the opportunity to break out of their shell and are great because we also have people who wouldn’t necessarily do that feel more comfortable pushing themselves.”
Pep rallies are one of, if not the only occasion where every class and student unit under one for an enjoyable experience. They build school culture and break the barrier between classes (apart from the obvious battle of the classes), uniting the chiefs under one secular Piscataway High School identity.
“I think freshmen really like it because it’s different and as you go on I know your a bit more jaded, but senior year you realize that this is your last [pep rally] and I always try to do something special for the seniors with extra decorations or whatever I can to make it feel more special”: Mr. Horan on students’ perspective of the pep rally.
No one has to be chanting the loudest when their class is called or dancing on the field, but it cannot be denied that the pep rally fosters a sense of sublime for students at the high school. With more Vitamin D during April and May, the annual spring-addition of Piscataway High School pep rallies is sure to be a tradition to add to school culture!
