It is minutes before the cheerleaders are called to perform. Smiles widen from cheek to cheek as friends deeply converse with one another. Students from Rho Kappa make swift movements to double check everything is set for the games that are about to be played. Homecoming royalty takes one last glance in the mirror to make sure they look sharp and ready for the eventful evening that is the homecoming pep rally.   

“I’m kind of nervous,” junior varsity cheerleader Tianna Murphy said.“ I always get nervous before everything we do, like before games because I’ve never cheered before so it’s a little nerve racking, but it’s going to be fun.”

As the performers took stage, the crowd shouted with energy and sang along to the music blasting from the speakers. Students surrounded the stage and bounced to the beat of the music while they swayed their hands in the air.

“Being up there, being able to perform, standing in front of everyone, and have people cheering your name just felt really good,” sophomore Jordan Aguirre who ran for homecoming royalty said. “I was part of powderpuff, so I was in a cheerleader outfit and then after that we changed, and I went up for royalty.  The whole entire homecoming week and having everyone watch you was just fun.”

The varsity cheerleaders performed an act later in the evening. They each used their acting skills and played a character from the film Alice in Wonderland.

“The Alice in wonderland act that the cheerleaders put on was really impressive,” senior Cara Grasso said. “They were so creative. I was surprised to hear that the song changed in the middle of their dance.”

With the music and dance performances receiving positive feedback, teachers were then picked to compete with one another over who can eat a donut tied to a string the fastest.

“Watching Mr. Ruggerio [economics teacher] eat the donut in two bites was so funny,” senior Deborah Whetstone said.

The music came to an end, and to close the cool night off, students enjoyed the golden fireworks explode into the night sky. For some, it was their last pep rally.

“I’m not going to have any more pep rallies,” Whetstone said. “So being here meant a lot to me. You don’t realize it, but the year is going by faster than you think.”