A tradition set aside for many years has been brought back to life. On March 15, 2024, the students of Willow Glen High School were introduced to the Rampede; on this Friday, all WGHS students were invited to join together for a night rally. Games ranged from basketball to tug of war. This was unique to the typical during-school rallies that students are used to. Starting at 6 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m., the rally is an hour longer than most. Due to this two-hour duration and the students’ energy, the night rally was lively and highly anticipated. From one, Kennedy Costello (‘25), the rally was something to look forward to and be excited to get ready for after school was over. The games are longer and the class rivalries become more intense, aiming to win the most games to take first place. The student involvement is higher than most rallies and participation in representing class spirit is evidence of this. The theme this year was Survivor, based on the popular TV show, each class was designated a color and had the chance to buy matching T-shirts designed by our very own Mr. Wind.
According to one of the participants of the Knocker Balls game, Lucy Nelson (‘25), the games were “more involved” and a good opportunity because she had never played in a rally before. The addition of the optional T-shirts was impactful because it created a clear separation of the classes and provided students with a memory of the first Rampede we have attended. The downside of the rally was the attendance. Nelson believes that it would have been much more exhilarating if more students went. Part of this issue is most likely due to the fact that a lot of students were not aware of what would be going on or if it would be worth it. The overall success of this event was visible in the spirit and friendly competition throughout the rally despite the mentioned low attendance that some students recognized.
