Pep rallies have been a tradition at Oliver Ames for a long time now. They are fun, interactive, and very engaging. Yet who knows what really happens behind the scenes.
Our pep rallies are fun but don’t get enough attention to see the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. As for students, it’s one day to celebrate your last day before break with your friends and teachers. For the student council, it’s months of planning.
“I think something that is really special is there are very few opportunities with high schools where the whole school gathers together and have one shared experience,” said Ms. Murphy, co-advisor of the Student Council, which plans the rallies. “Planning these pep rallies and putting them right before break is a perfect time because, at the end of the day, the last block, and before break after having tons of tests and quizzes.”
Murphy said the other purpose of the rallies is to honor student achievement.
“It’s kind of that moment to be like, ‘Okay, you did it. Look how far you’ve come, now you get to be with your friends and have a moment of joy and connections.’ It’s important to understand your academics and to work hard, but also it’s important to be all together and actually experience these things together.”
The Student Council is very open minded and helps out Ms. Kenney and Ms. Murphy when planning the games, suggesting things like hungry hippo and musical chairs. Getting ideas to satisfy all four grades is not the easiest thing to do. Mrs. Kenney, the other co-advisor of the Student Council, who has been planning pep rallies for 18 years.
“We have four pillars, kindness, inclusion, connections, and spirit. The idea of planning this is the student council creates these shared common experiences that kids remember as some of their core moments,” Mrs. Kenney said.
Mrs. Kenney said that it’s important to keep the planning process inclusive.
“So all the activities are really tradition based, we try to keep some core events. We pitch ideas to each other and vote on them to pick. We try to include everyone and vary on different talents, by putting spotlights on kids for different reasons,” she said.
