As fall break ended on Tuesday, October 17th, our first week back was overflowing with excitement around ACP. Why? This week was this year’s Homecoming week and our pep rally. On Friday, October 20th, ACP’s first pep rally of our second quarter in the 2023-2024 school year was filled with a vast volume of cheers and glee as all of the students here at ACP displayed the school spirit we all love to see. This year’s student council has gone all out on all the festivities they have brought to us so far. Each part of the rally was well-planned, bringing fun and enjoyment to the students and teachers. Their devotion and commitment to working hard offers us the best outcome possible, no matter the difficulties it brings. This pep rally is one for the books as we move into the day we have all been waiting for: Homecoming!

Days before the pep rally occurred, I had the chance to do a pre-interview with María Tapia. I asked María what she thinks we will see at that pep rally, and she said, “I think we will get to watch the Varsity Cheer and the Royalettes Dance Team perform. I also predict that the Homecoming court will appear to introduce themselves to our school.” At almost every pep rally, ACP’s freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors chant their class chants. I asked for María’s thoughts on who she thought would win the class chant, and she thought, “The seniors would probably win the chant because they are about to start a new part of their lives. They are more than overjoyed to close this chapter and start anew with the wondrous things life will offer them.” The one word Maria forecasts for what the pep rally will most likely be like is “uplifting because days such as these bring hype toward the best part of the week, Homecoming. It encourages students to come and have a phenomenal time with their friends while making memories and having a great time.” 

After the pep rally, everyone was in a lively mood as they excitedly watched. Students got to see ACP’s cheerleaders do their performances, which were all done exceptionally well. The talented Varsity Cheer and Royalettes Team amazed us with their impressive moves. We also got to see our nomination for our Homecoming royalty court. Students drummed as the student council revealed the winners of this year’s Teacher Grade Homecoming Royalty: Mrs. Sims and Mr. Moore! More about the football game tonight was announced by the football coach, Mr. Blue. I had the pleasure of getting a post-interview with Jaskeerat Kaur. I asked her how excited she was during the pep rally, and she stated, “I was super thrilled. A pep rally is a great way to demonstrate our school spirit and get closer as a community. The pep rally is an exciting event to look forward to for all of ACP, as it represents our values and school pride.” Her favorite part of the pep rally was “the way they introduced the Homecoming royalty nominations. It was so fun to watch!” The people that were a part of the pep rally Jaskeerat knew were “Shravya Seddabattula, one of the drummers in the band group, my brother Karambir Singh, a football player on the team, and Emma Nassan, one of the freshmen homecoming royalty nominees.” Above all, the homecoming pep rally will hold memories our ACP family will remember for the rest of their lives.

ACP looks forward to seeing what other things the Student Council has in store for us this school year. This week, the pep rally and other fun activities like games and the food trucks were very engaging to begin our second quarter of the school year. Our positive environment at school brings out the best in our students. These events, such as this week’s affairs, give the ACP family a variety of new outlooks on our high school experiences.