HOMECOMING: Rally kicks off the week

By Choyang Ponsar and Lauren Tull,
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–

The Davis High Pep Band pumped up the crowd as students filed into the North Gym after second period for the Homecoming rally on Monday, Oct. 5.

After all students had been seated, the Advanced Treble Choir, dressed in white shirts and red hair ribbons, gathered in the center of the gym and signaled for all students to rise as they sang “The Star Spangled Banner.”

MCs senior Francis Avoce and senior Makaila Stritzel gave shout-outs to DHS’ fall sports teams and ended the recognition speech with the football team, which ran triumphantly through a blue and white banner before bursting into a loud team chant.

The announcement for spirit days came next, as students strolled down the center of the gym in themed clothing for every day of the week: ‘Merica Monday, Class Theme Tuesday (country for sophomores, rock for juniors and hip-hop for seniors), Hit the Waves Wednesday, Put a Little Prep in Your Step Thursday, and Freakishly Blue Friday.

Seven teachers were also seen modeling their school spirit for the Homecoming week. History teacher Peter Reilly was decked out in red, white and blue for ‘Merica Monday and history teacher Christopher Lee modeled a preppy outfit for Thursday.

Spanish teacher Nicholas Salcedo, math teacher Daniel Gonzalez and English teacher Anthony Vasquez dressed to represent the different grades’ themes for Homecoming. Salcedo represented the sophomore class with a country-themed outfit, Gonzalez dressed in hip-hop attire for the seniors and Vasquez wore leather and had a guitar, representing the junior class with rock and roll.

English teacher Spencer Elliott showed his school pride by wearing all blue for Friday, while history teacher Fern O’Brien wore a Hawaiian-inspired outfit with a ukulele on hand for Wednesday.

“Spirit days give [students and staff] something to look forward to; it’s more special than an ordinary school day,” O’Brien said.

After Student Government and football team members throwing free t-shirts into the audience on both sides, the dance team stormed onto the scene in blue, sparkly tops and black bottoms and performed to a medley of popular songs including “Worth It” by Fifth Harmony and Selena Gomez’s “Good For You.” The cheer team followed directly after with their routine.

Then came Blue Devil Pride Squad members, who lined up on both sides of the gym facing the people in the bleachers and led students in the chant “I believe that we will win” for the football game on Friday. Blue streamers, thrown up in the air at the end of the chant, will be passed out at the Homecoming game.

The rally ended on a calmer note as Principal William Brown took the stage to give a short speech on the impact of DHS as part of a “small town making big noises.”

“There is one school that separates itself from everybody else in terms of community and school spirit,” Brown said. “That place is Davis High.”

After the rally, Student Government member and sophomore Victoria Nishikawa said that “it went pretty smoothly, but there were some rough edges” regarding transitions between different events.