Year after year, our annual Thanksgiving Pep Rally has been shortened, and students feel that they should have a say. Pep Rally’s a time that students are able to express their school spirit, and students think 45 minutes just isn’t enough. Education is important, but so is our school’s morale. We are here to get both sides of the story from both students and staff members.

Some of those disagreeing think that the Pep Rally should remain 45 minutes. Shawnesse Thomas said, “Pep Rally is a time of tradition, and we shouldn’t expand and ruin the tradition.” Many teachers say that expanding the Pep Rally would cause students to become off track and go crazy throughout the day.

Pep Rally should be expanded so students can come together as one and express Holyoke High school spirit as two campuses. “The amount of students that are going to attend Pep Rally this year makes it hard for the Pep Rally to stay 45 minutes,” says Dean Campus senior, Deiyston Coriano. Executive Principal, Dr. Mahoney, of Holyoke High North and Dean Campuses says, “Everything should be put together so it is diversified for everybody.”

A majority of the students think that Pep Rally has more potential. “They get more boring and uninteresting year after year,” says senior student, Nathan Cruz. Students have shared that there should be some activities happening, and that there should be more school spirit. “Having a Pep Rally for an entire half day would be a good idea to bring everyone together with different activities,” said Ms. Fallon, the senior class advisor.

Everyone has their own opinions on Pep Rally, but the seniors are really hoping to step it up this year and make a change. We have heard some suggestions from students and teacher from both schools on activities that should be incorporated for this year’s Pep Rally.

As for the question everyone wants answered: Will they listen to the students and make things better for us this year?

Well, there are going to be more activities, such as a dance off, tug of war, and three-point contest. They will be competitions between each grade and the faculty. This is a way for the school to come together as a whole to express the school’s true spirit and show what talents they have. It’s also a time for both campuses to have time to get to know each other more and for students to become familiar with who they will be graduating with. It’s always been a tradition for the whole school to come together and act on who they really are and to have a little fun.