Spirit Renewed

Maclay Upper School’s First Pep Rally of 2025-2026

Photo courtesy of the Marauder yearbook staff

On Friday, Aug. 22, Maclay’s Upper School came together for the first pep rally of the year. The event highlighted the different fall sport teams while classmates cheered them on from the sidelines. 

The Valkyries, Maclay’s varsity dance team, performed their routine to “Let’s Get Loud” by Jennifer Lopez, dazzling the crowd with impressive choreography that featured a variety of dynamic kicks and floorwork. 

“I felt free,” said junior Alexandra Holland. “I love performing with everyone since we feed off each other’s energy.”

The cheerleaders also performed their routine to Maclay’s choreographed fight song and band chant. With radiant smiles and a positive attitude, they energized students and faculty alike while facilitating school spirit. 

“Cheering at pep rallies is one of my favorite things to do,” said junior Avery Campbell. “Seeing my teammates having fun and just enjoying our time out there together is definitely the best part.”

One highlight of the pep rally was a competition that brought five players from each fall sport team down to the court. The teams played in a rock-paper-scissors relay with obstacles, cheered on by their peers in the stands. The objective was to hop as far forward as possible until a player landed on the same dot as their opponent. Then, they had to stop and play rock-paper-scissors, with the winner advancing forward and the loser heading to the back of their team’s line. The game ended when a player hopped to the final dot. After much anticipation, the girls varsity volleyball team won, defeating the girls cross country team in the final round. 

“We all love to win and get so excited afterwards,” said junior Kate Hartmann. “We were happy we got to be recognized.”