For the 2014-15 school year the cheerleading department made a change in admission for the pep rallies. Beginning with the first pep rally of the school year, cheerleaders sold $2 tickets during the week leading up to it, rather than the $10 T-shirts that were sold at the beginning of each school year.

“The cheerleaders’ goal, and my goal, is to create more school spirit,” head coach Nichelle Keithley said.

According to Keithley, the purpose behind the transition was the idea that by selling tickets instead of T-shirts, more people would be able to attend each pep rally because it is much easier for a student to come up with $2 than $10. In addition students would only have to purchase tickets for the pep rallies they would be able to attend.

“[On] Thursday and Friday kids were freaking out, asking the cheerleaders and [coaches] how they could get a ticket,” Keithley said. “Kids were offering us more than $2 just to get in.”

Although many kids were disappointed for not remembering to buy their ticket early this was one of the most packed pep rallies. The 460 tickets that will be sold for each rally will be designed by students in the MST multimedia endorsement, giving them a chance to gain some real-life experience while at school.

“Kids can feel like part of the pep rally [now], like they’re actually participating,” Keithley said.

Now that the students do not have to wear a specific shirt to be allowed into the event, there will be themes incorporated into every pep rally, in which students will be asked to dress up according to the theme. The upcoming rally for Homecoming will have a ‘throwback’ theme. Students will be asked to dress in attire from a past decade (ex. 50’s 60’s 70’s 80’s) and buy their tickets on time so they will not be disappointed this time around.

“Some kids had purchased a T-shirt in the past, but it was time for a change,” Keithley said.