Friday afternoon at Portage High School was busy as students left the school and headed home to start their weekends. Not everyone left, though. In fact, many students went the opposite way of the exits...toward the gym.
Why were they all going there? It’s Friday! TGIF! They have been in class for five days, so you’d think that the students would be hightailing it out to get home, right? Not so, readers. There was a special event happening in the gym that day. Something so special that students stayed after the school day ended to participate: the PHS Pep Rally.
Friday even was a big football game between Portage and Michigan City High Schools. This was a way for the school to show support for their team. And I’ll tell you readers, this was a sight to behold. The colors red and black dominated the space, faces were painted, costumes were donned, and bright handmade signs and banners were held up as freshmen through seniors were packed into the bleachers of the gym. Everyone got into the spirit.
Caren Swickard, Principal of Portage High School was no exception. I spoke to the lady in red and asked what she thought of the pep rally.
“I thought it was awesome,” Swickard said with a smile. “It’s kids that stay voluntarily. A lot of kids would have come but they have to go home on a bus. It’s always a lot of fun, and I love how our teachers participate. It was nice that Steven Tyler came here just to help judge.”
Yes, she was speaking of the Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. He, or a very similar look-alike, graced Portage High School with his presence as a guest judge for the Spirit Stick Competition. The competition is between the classes and whoever displayed the most spirit won the Spirit Stick. This year’s win went to the juniors. And there wasn’t only Spirit Stick Competition. There were performances by the PHS cheerleaders, dance team, and the senior girls. Many of the sports teams of PHS were recognized, and there was an interesting contest between the female Homecoming candidates that involved finding a gummy worm.
Noah Volk, a junior at PHS, was excited about winning the Spirit Stick.
“I honestly didn’t think we were going to win it. I thought the seniors were going to take it for sure,” Volk. “We did put some work into our signs, but everything else is just our awesomeness.”
Volk, along with many students from PHS will be attending Friday night’s game. Who does he think will win?
“Portage!” Volk said confidently.
Click here to view more photos from the Pep Rally!!
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