The first weekend of October was eventful for Berkley High, with the festivities of homecoming being catapulted by a lively pep rally held on September 29th. Class was cut short that day, allowing students to walk to Hurley Field for the assembly, a tradition established last year when Berkley held their first ever outdoor pep rally due to COVID-19. The bleachers were colored with buzzing students cheering from their divisions. The sections were dressed in colors of white, blue, red, and green, each representing a different grade. 

The rally kicked off with a booming performance from the marching band, conducted by senior Iris Macaulay. The band played a variety of songs, ranging from classic 80’s hits like Elton John’s I’m Still Standing or bangers of the 2000s like NSync’s Bye Bye Bye. The energy was high as they finished off their set with the Berkley fight song, pumping the bleachers with school spirit. 

Next, a parade of athletes were unleashed, each group holding signs representing their respective sport. Teams belonging to swim, football, volleyball, and more could be seen marching proudly along the stands. Following them was the beloved trio of Berkley bear mascots, elevating the crowd’s hype. 

The awed crowd briefly stood silent when senior Sydney Studer’s angelic rendition of the Star Spangled Banner filled the speakers, an agreed upon unforgettable performance. 

A new addition to the rally delighted students this year; a t-shirt shooting robot! In between activities, the machine spat out Berkley merchandise to the ecstatic crowd of onlookers.

Kicking off the battle of the grades was the frozen t-shirt race, a challenge in which a frozen shirt is given to a pair alongside buckets of warm water. The team’s initiative? To thaw the shirt enough to not only try on, but rip off. Two students from each grade were selected to participate. Juniors Mia Hubbell and Maya Sermo scored a point for theirs, succeeding in tearing the shirt the fastest. 

Following that, it was time to announce the winners of homecoming royalty! The sixteen nominees from the four grades lined up, with a bucket of streamers dumped on the winners heads to reveal them. The court included freshman Marianna Strat and Jada Smith, sophomores Daniel Richmond and Jessica Mack, juniors Shea O’Brien and Drew Lash, and seniors Maya Collins and Lily Crum.

The Berkley cheer team rocked the stands with their routine, packed with aerials, basket tosses, and flyers that graced the field.

The awaited Encore team’s performance followed. They sang and danced to the song footloose, striking the crowd with zestful choreography accompanied with pitch perfect vocals. 

Continuing the games was a match of tug-of-war. The first rounds included freshman vs sophomores, and juniors vs seniors. The juniors couldn’t keep hold during their round and lost to the seniors. Although the freshman put up a fight and beat the sophomores, the seniors ultimately pulled through, furiously dragging the newbies within seconds. 

After that, the dance team struck the field, dancing to a remix of pop hits. Students cheered for the girl’s razor sharp moves as they finished the performance with a kickline worthy of The Rockettes. 

The performances of the rally were wrapped up with the rumbling drumline. Students stomped along to the thundering beats, spreading excitement throughout the stands.

The rally ended with a pie eating contest, where representatives from each grade were challenged to down a whole pie hands free. Sarah Cantor devoured the pie swiftly, crowning the seniors the victors of the rally. The win electrified the crowd, leaving the students stirred for the Homecoming game that evening. 

Overall, the rally succeeded in pepping Berkley students for the Homecoming weekend activities to come!