In past years, Walpole Student Council has been the major organizer of school wide events. However, restrictions due to COVID-19 put limitations on normal traditions. Therefore, Student Council was committed to hold these canceled events in the spring, and they came through the week after April vacation with spirit week, the hypnotist and the pep rally. When planning the spring events, Student Council considered holding
a spring dance; however, they ran into planning issues including expenses. Additionally, with spring sports, end of the school year tests and club activities, it is hard to get students to come to school events. Therefore,
the old tradition of a hypnotist came to mind. Student Council wanted it to be extra entertaining, so they
recruited comedic hypnotist Frank Santos. In order to get student participation, Student Council recruited seniors to be the ones hypnotized.

The hypnotist was on Tuesday April 26 and had a strong showing of seniors who were willing and ready to participate. Students and teacher volunteers were tested to see if they would be good contestants to be hypnotized and twelve passed. However, the number of participants lessened as Santos
went through the hypnotism and then the first simple games. Five students remained through the en-
tire show. The students and teachers in attendance laughed hysterically when those hypnotized forgot their
last names, felt the seats were hot and flexed their muscles like fitness stars. The students even pretend-
ed to be on America’s Got Talent and sang songs like Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off.” To end the show, students spoke in “moon language” while dancing like ballerinas.

Walpole High School pep rally is a longtime tradition that is normally held the day before Thanksgiving, but this year it was postponed due to COVID-19. However, students were still just as excited to celebrate the tradition and school spirit. Students signed up to participate in games during lunches over the week. The pep rally was held on April 29 with a Wednesday schedule. This was the first ever pep rally for the freshmen and sophomores. The gym was all decked out in streamers and with school spirit because it was Walpole colors for spirit week that Friday.

The pep rally started off with a money grab where students were blindfolded and sent across the gym floor to find cash. Many other money grabs took place in between other events. Student Council kept the popular traditional games including hungry, hungry hippos where students on scooters are steered by partners. Student Council also organized the mummy game where the winner is the individual most covered in toilet paper. Many students found the three-legged race most entertaining as partners practically face-planted trying to come in first. The always-competitive musical chairs ended the rally with students followed by a staff round. Winners of each competition punched Solo cups covered in paper to get their gift card or cash prize.

Although it was delayed, Student Council came through to give Walpole High School the traditions that were postponed earlier in the year.