Photos: Tim Markatos and Mr. Michael Alan
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The atmosphere filled with excitement and anticipation as students filed into the stands opposite the turf for Walpole High School’s annual pep rally. Along with the sunshine and the brisk air the autumn trees created a myriad of colors- red, yellow, orange- that surrounded the track and contributed to a picturesque fall scene. Showing their pride for the various fall sports teams, students donned Rebel sweatshirts, pants, and even hats. Although the pep rally was originally scheduled for Friday, October 15, and had to be postponed because of rain to Friday, October 22, the students continued to show enthusiasm.
Once the entire student body was settled into the stands, Ms. Kerry McMenimen and Ms. Emily Loflin, student council co-advisors, started the afternoon’s festivities. In the first event, an obstacle course, various clubs and fall sports representatives and even a faculty team rose to the challenge. The course consisted of four parts: a potato sac dash, cartwheel contest, and wheelbarrow race as well as a water balloon relay. The faculty team led by Ms. Kathryn Bacon, Benjamin Kampper, Ms. McMenimen, and Conor Cashman were no match for the football team who dominated the first competition.
In the next event the field hockey team faced off against the football team in a tug of war competition. Once again, football was victorious as they pulled the field hockey team down with ease. Following the football team’s win the representatives from the Sophomore and Freshman Classes challenged one another to a tug of war match, and the sophomores won as easily as the football team, but the senior class dominated all of the younger grades and advanced to the final round against the faculty. Staff such as Mr. Gardiner Fiske, Mr. Cashman, Mr. Christopher Whittenhall, and Mrs. Diane Cokely, attempted to overtake the seniors; however, the class of 2011 prevailed and became the tug of war champions.
“There used to be an old tradition here at Walpole High School that gave the football players extra good luck before a big game,” Ms. Mac [name?] explained to the eagerly awaiting student body. “With a little help from the varsity cheerleaders the boys will be able to have a great game tomorrow.”
Eight lucky football players- Peter Conroy, Dave Conroy, Doug McMillan, Christopher Norberg, Kenny Woods, William Sandvos, Keith Wellock, and Robert Prindall- were chosen to be kissed on the cheek by the varsity cheerleaders. The boys were blindfolded and had to guess which cheerleader had kissed them on the cheek. Each senior football player had good guesses as to who had kissed them; however, they were in for a surprise when they took off their blindfolds. The players were not actually kissed by a cheerleader, but by their own mothers. As the spectators roared with laughter, awkward embarrassment washed over the boys’ faces as they saw their mothers standing in front of them instead of a varsity cheerleader.
The pep rally came to an end with a pie eating contest and a competitive water balloon toss. Students from various grades had to submerge their faces in a pie and take out ten gummy worms hidden in the whipped cream with their mouths. After an intense race to determine the prevailing champion, senior and student council member Michael Cofsky won the competition with ease picking up ten gummy worms before some people had found five. Overall the seniors seemed to win most of the events in the pep rally, and the pattern continued with seniors Michael Burke and Michael Nadeau winning the last event: the water balloon contest.
As the energetic students retreated from Turco Field the brisk fall foliage meshed well with the blue and orange clothing that the students had worn to support their fall sports teams. Even though the air was cold everyone was warm with excitement due to the fun filled festivities. The October 2010 pep rally was one that the seniors as well as the underclassmen will remember for a long time. The spirit, pride, and unity that went along with the festivities have resonated throughout the school. Unlike previous years, the new and fresh festivities included in this year’s pep rally engrossed the students in the Rebel spirit. Student Council President Grace Lynch said, “The goal was to make sure everyone had fun at the pep rally.” Undoubtedly, the student council accomplished that goal.
