Eastchester High School students packed the gymnasium Friday, Oct. 16, for the Fall Pep Rally, capping Homecoming Week with musical chairs, plunger races and dance routines that packed the bleachers.
The rally, organized by the Eastchester Government Organization (EGO), featured performances by athletic teams, the marching band, the choir and EHS Jazz Co., according to the school district. Outside, the morning was wet and gray. Inside, it was anything but.
EGO President Elias Alexander, a senior who plays on the boys volleyball team, said student government spent weeks shaping the event. Officers talked with administrators, asked classmates for feedback online and in person, and reviewed what worked and what fell flat at past rallies.
"EGO had discussions, we talked to administrators, and we asked our classmates for feedback, both online and in person," Alexander said. "We looked to see what new games to put in and really just wanted to make this a good experience for everybody."
Alexander said the rally gave him a deeper appreciation for the closeness of the Eastchester community, something he said gives student-athletes a sense of pride.
He has been an EGO member since his freshman year. At the organization's annual leadership workshop on Sept. 30, Alexander and fellow officers mapped out the fall calendar, including the pep rally. EGO Treasurer Miranda Correa, also a senior, said at that workshop that organizing the fall pep rally produces strong school spirit and that every EGO member plays a part in putting it together.
The Sept. 30 workshop also served as an introduction for freshman officers in the Class of 2030, who took on their first major planning roles in the weeks leading up to the rally.
Alexander said the packed gym captured what makes Eastchester's school community stand out. "It's so great seeing the best student section, all the teachers and all the athletes cheering each other on," he said.
