Pep rallies have been a way of exciting students about upcoming events at Westside High School for almost four years now. From athletics to clubs and performances, these all-school gatherings have informed about what is happening at their school. Compared to the numerous pep rallies held in the landing last year, this year has been a different story. Assistant principal Trudi Nolin organizes the pep rallies for Westside High School.

“The main problem with the pep rallies last year was the location,” Nolin said. “It was hard for students to see down below on the landing so we tried going on top to the second floor, but no matter where we moved it there would always be at least one level that would not be able to see.”

Last year, a pep rally was held almost every month on the bottom floor of the landing. This year, there has only been one pep rally held in the landing so far.

“It became where the people sitting on the stairs and right around the banisters in the landing were able to see, but then other people who couldn’t see were just hanging out, talking and not really participating or watching the pep rally,” Nolin said. “We felt that at that point we still really wanted to have them, but we needed to move them to a bigger area where everyone could see.”

Nolin and other administrators decided that the best place for the pep rallies to be held would be the main gym.

“The main gym is bigger than the landing, but the problem is that it is a way more confined area, so it takes more time for people to get in and out and we certainty don’t want to extend homeroom and take away from the educational setting as well,” Nolin said.

Another concern that Westside staff had was that some students were not going to the pep rallies, they were leaving homeroom and then wandering in the building.

“We have been talking about possibly having a student assembly once a quarter next year and recognizing different students and activities during that quarter,” Nolin said. “The assembly would be longer than just homeroom.”

Westside has always supported pep rallies because the first intent was to have students be able to see all of the different kinds of groups in the building, not just athletics.

There will be a pep rally this Friday April 29 during homeroom, supporting spring sports and to unveil a new “no place for hate” banner that will be hung up around the school.