On Nov. 3, Aragon Leadership held the first indoor rally of the year in the North Gym in anticipation of the annual football game against rival Hillsdale High School, which Aragon won 34-7. The rally included a teachers versus students basketball game, performances from the cheer, dance and football teams and spirit competitions.
On rally day, each class showed off their spirit by dressing in their respective class colors. The freshman class showed up in crowds of green, with an inflatable dinosaur as their mascot. The sophomores, who are currently in the lead with the most spirit points, were a mass of pink.
To the left of the sophomores was a sea of juniors in vibrant blue. Finally, the seniors, across the gym, dressed in purple, racking up the most points in the spirit competitions.
During the spirit competitions, each class competed by singing their class anthems and participating in various challenges. The freshman class sang “Firework” by Katy Perry, the sophomores chanted “God’s Plan” by Drake and the juniors belted out “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. In the end, the seniors won the sought-after Don Baton with their performance of Nicki Minaj’s “Starships.” The class then sent a representative to crack open a piñata.
The highlight of the rally was an action-packed teachers versus students basketball game, ending in a close win for the teachers, with a final score of 8-7.
“Just to be clear, the teachers won,” said Advanced Placement United States History teacher Will Colglazier, who participated in the game.
Rallies are a longstanding Aragon tradition, meant to boost morale and strengthen the community.
“The purpose of rallies is to spread school spirit and to increase student involvement,” said freshman and leadership student Kara Hwang. “Most [rallies] are a part of our school days so that they do not take away from our time after school. This way, it is easier for students to participate and be more involved at Aragon.”
Rallies also allow students to relax and get outside of the classroom.
“It’s a nice break from school, especially for people who have lots of tests and early college admissions,” Hwang said. “Early decision college applications are generally due on Nov. 1, so having a rally during school helps relieve stress and allows people to enjoy high school.”
The friendly competition between classes can encourage people to show spirit and engage with the community as a whole.
“[The rally] definitely surpassed my expectations,” freshman Benjamin Torrelio said. “I feel more competitive.”
Colglazier offered his thoughts on the rally commission’s efforts.
“I think it’s just impressive,” Coglazier said. “I know the amount of time that goes into planning a lesson, and I know that each hour takes five hours of preparation. [Rallies] build a culture and sense of community. I think the leadership has been doing a great job the last two or three years to make those post-COVID rallies really fun.”
To Leadership, organizing rallies go beyond seeing the final event come to life.
“Rallies are the heart and soul of leadership,” said senior and Rally Commission co-head Cody Chen. “It’s an ‘all hands on deck’ experience, and everyone contributes.”
Leadership will continue to plan rallies for the rest of the academic year, continuing Aragon’s long-withstanding tradition.
