Pride plans new pep rally format

Amelia Knopp, Page Editor

Manhattan High School Pride will be hosting a revamped fall Homecoming Pep Rally on Wednesday evening. Earlier this year, school administration was prepared to completely cancel the Pep Rally due to COVID-19 concerns. Pride sponsor Haleigh Jung said that the members of Pride quickly proposed an alternate plan. 

“[Being] able to have a traditional pep rally, with how many students we have here, just cramming everyone into the gym, wasn’t going to be feasible,” Jung said. “So our [Pride] students came up with the solution of having an outdoor pep rally and making it after school.”

The Pep Rally will be held at Bishop Stadium outside of school hours — at 6:30 p.m. — making it a voluntary event for the student body. Entry to the Pep Rally will cost $2 for students. Family members are welcome to attend at a cost of $3. The event’s profits will finance Pride’s future events and dances. 

The evening will begin with performances from the MHS Pops Choir, dance team and pep band, followed by the traditional class cheers. Students will then have the opportunity to participate in tug-of-war and other competitions. Pride members will present final Homecoming announcements before the commencement of the PowderPuff cheerleading performance and football game. 

According to senior Morgan Turner, a Pride Homecoming Representative, the change in pep rally plans left Pride members two weeks to organize the event — which requires lots of detailed planning. 

“Obviously the dance has a [Home Sweet Homecoming] theme, so we kind of had to fit that into the Pep Rally,” Turner said, “which works perfectly because Wednesday is class colors day, so you will be able to [distinguish] every class at the Pep Rally.”

Additionally, Pride has been busy communicating with the performing groups, brainstorming competitions and creating posters. 

Both Turner and senior Pride Homecoming Representative Hannah Davin hope that students show up and fill the stands.  

“People were really bummed that we didn’t have [a pep rally] last year, and then I know that people were disappointed when we [initially] couldn’t have one this year,” Turner said. “But I think that a lot of people will come because everybody goes to Bishop… it’s like a hangout place.”

According to Davin, Pride is excited to bring back the pep rally experience, regardless of the different format. 

“A pep rally is something that you just get to experience in high school…and just being able to do that is really special to some people,” Davin said.