After a long two days of writing the IAB Benchmark, the SVHS Winter Rally was a fantastic way to end the week with some laughs. Sports teams showed their school spirit by making unique entrances and performing original dances. Girls’ basketball tried to lift the crowd’s spirit by getting them to do the YMCA, but were not the most successful. During the main event, students took on teachers in the annual teachers vs. students basketball game, and two students from each class volunteered to be in a toilet paper wrapping bananza and race.

  After the national anthem was played by the SVHS band, and winter sports teams were introduced by the Leadership class, students were asked to gather with their classes to perform the Sonoma cheer. The classic cheer was echoed four times throughout the gym at the beginning of the rally rather than the end. Senior leadership student Kaitlyn Dunevent stated, “I liked it better in the beginning because more people were involved and no one was leaving.” Excited students hopped on their friends’ shoulders and exercised their Noma Pride.

  One by one, the different sports teams pumped up the gym by running out to their favorite team songs and enthusiastically performing their original dances. Despite not all the teams participating in the dances, students and staff alike laughed and enjoyed the dances that were performed in the center of Pfeiffer gym. Sophomore James Bounds articulated his enjoyment at the rally saying, “it was fun to see all the sports teams performing their dances, I was disappointed that the wrestling team did not do a dance though.”

  The seniors of the varsity basketball teams competed against staff members in the annual student vs. faculty basketball game. In the first half of the game, the staff took on Nick Spanger, Tyler Garrett, Brendan Hogan, Kaitlyn Dunevent, and Marcela Reyes. The SVHS dance team performed at halftime. The second half held Trent Garrett, George Stewart, Justin Cox, Erin Gylfe, and Annie Neles against the same group of staff. Mr. Craig Tierney says, “My favorite part was not getting dunked on this year.”

  A rally tradition is to pull students from each class to participate in a competitive game of some sort. This year’s game of choice was a toilet paper race. One of the two student from each class wrapped their partner in toilet paper. The wrapped student proceeded to race the other classes to one side of the gym and back without the paper falling off. Freshman participant Campbell Rolston said, “I enjoyed the game. My favorite part was watching the kids who got wrapped in toilet paper.” The sophomore representatives, Camryn Berger and James Bounds, secured the win for their class.

  The rally was a fun, entertaining way to get students back into the school spirit after break. The next rally to look forward to will be the Spring Rally on Apr. 5.