Pep rallies at Jefferson, whether during Homecoming week or throughout sports seasons, are known for the immeasurable amount of school spirit and school wide enthusiasm that all students share. It’s a time of the day where we, as a school, set aside our homework and stress, and focus entirely on cheering for our sports teams and becoming the eccentric student body we are known to be.

“I like hearing all the screaming because it’s like a physical representation of all the school spirit,” sophomore Valentina Lohr said. “You can really feel the school come together.”

The fall sports pep rally is one event where we celebrate all of our fall sports athletes. Teams emerge to rounds of cheers from their fellow classmates as they circle the gym and throw pieces of candy into the anticipating crowd.

“I did enjoy the announcing of their names and it was nice to see those people individually recognized for their talent and time commitment,” freshman Devan Kowdley said. “I never knew skittles could be so deadly until I got pelted by the candy from the football team.”

One of the most memorable moments of the entire event is the notorious crabwalk soccer match between the Jefferson students and faculty. Each year, the battle continues as both teams grapple in search of their victory and boasting rights for the coming year. All of the students, whether in the stands or on the court, agree that this is one of the highlights of the fall sports pep rally.

“It’s very unique because I can’t see teachers from other schools crawling around and playing crab soccer against the students,” senior Sarah Shan said. “This year’s match was pretty entertaining because they managed to pop the ball within the first five minutes and were then kicking around what was essentially a giant piece of plastic before a replacement ball was found.”

It seemed that the first ball could not withstand Jefferson’s enthusiasm and school spirit. However, when the replacement ball was set into play, the game continued as the players battled just as fiercely and lively as before.

When the grueling match was coming to its close, cheers erupted in the stands as the students’ team finally tied up the score after lagging behind for most of the close game. This intense match consisted of fourteen incredible goals scored by both teams, with the game finally ending with a final tied score of seven to seven.

This year, however, we had some special guests at the pep rally. Some remaining in the stands and others taking their chance on the court amidst the Jefferson students, the French students definitely had fun.

“The teachers need to work on the legitimacy of their crab walks,” junior Sara Mueller said, showing her enthusiasm and devotion to the students’ team. “Our team, along with the French exchange students, put them to shame.”

Many of the hosts agree that they were delighted to have their French exchange student witness an American custom such as our fall sports pep rally. As a whole, these students enjoyed watching or playing in the soccer match, dancing in the stands to the music blaring from the speakers, and simply experiencing an American tradition.

“It was a great experience for the French students to enjoy something out of the ordinary and uniquely American,” sophomore Cheryl Mensah, a French exchange student host, said. “I’m happy they were able to participate and see a side of our culture.”

Whether American or French, the fall sports pep rally is one of the most exciting and impassioned experiences at Jefferson throughout the fall season. All the students appreciate the chance to cheer on their school as they enjoy spending time with their friends and forgetting about all the stress.

“The fall sports pep rally was a nice reminder of Homecoming,” junior Mikaela Ruiz-Ramon said. “School is starting to reach that ‘grrrr’ point and it was a great chance to unwind and get hyped up over some good fun.”