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Hyping up the crowd before the beginning of the pep rally, cheerleaders Lauren Patterson ’26, Aliyu Yu ’27, and Leah Kleinman ’25 move in a synchronized combo. The varsity cheer team was later spotlighted in the pep rally during their performance to Chappell Roan’s “Hot to Go.”
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Waving at the cheerleaders, Josie Poole ’25 Carolyn Craig ’25 attempt to win a pizza. Coach Travis Dalrymple and the cheer team, who facilitate the pizza-winning contest, seek out the loudest crowds in the pep rally audience as the winners.
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Facing the crowd, the SunDancers perform a hip-hop routine at the first pep rally of the school year. The routine, which the SunDancers learned at their summer line camp, was also performed for the freshmen at Fishbowl.
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Linking pinky fingers, the cheer team sings the alma mater at the end of the pep rally. A long-standing tradition to sing at pep rallies, the alma mater follows the tune of “Jupiter” by Gustav Holst.
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The chants of the cheer team and sound of the Westwood Fight song beckon students to enter the fieldhouse gym on Friday, Aug. 30 for the first pep rally of the new school year.
A new experience for many freshmen and a fun beginning to everyone’s renewed school experience, students were especially hyped for the performances, games, and pizza prize.
“My favorite thing about the pep rally was seeing the amount of energy in the gym, everyone excited, the school brought together for once,” Ian Shone ‘25 said. “Usually every grade, every friend group keeps to themself, [and] it was nice seeing all the energy of people coming together.”
Led by Coach Dalrymple and the cheerleaders, students jumped up and down throughout the pep rally in hopes of attracting the attention of a cheerleader and winning a pizza.
“It’s been a while since I saw so many other students coming together to celebrate our school,” Yonnie Yang ‘27 said. “I also won a pizza, which made my day and I had a great time. I think being able to celebrate all the clubs and activities our school has is awesome and I hope we get to do it often this year.”
In a series of organizational spotlights, the pep rally featured many groups such as the SunDdancers and the varsity cheer team. Cheerleaders showcased their coordination and skill by performing their routine to “Hot to Go” by Chappell Roan.
“The most exciting thing about cheer is all the eyes looking at you,” Cheerleader Maylee Jemibewon ‘26 said. “The adrenaline rush is very exciting, and it’s just fun in general, performing what you’ve been practicing for a long time and finally being able to show it to other people.”
In addition to the performances, athletic representatives and the Student Council (StuCo) presidents introduced themselves to the student body.
“I really liked to see everybody and all their organizations,” StuCo Executive President Tanvi Reddy ‘25 said.
A much awaited announcement ahead of the new academic year, students were excited to hear Coach Dalrymple announce the homecoming theme, Level Up.
“I really love the idea of Level Up as our [homecoming] theme,” Yang said. “[Homecoming] is always so much fun to watch and a lot of effort on every club’s part. There are so many games that are a major part of everyones’ childhoods and I can’t wait to get nostalgic watching the homecoming parade!”
The next pep rally will take place on Friday, Sept. 20 in the fieldhouse gym.
