For those of you back home...

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by LLM

That makes me laugh remembering our rookie year when we won Rookie All Sar #1 at Championships. Our principal announced that it was almost as exciting as winning league in football. Jane, we've done a lot to change the culture, but I hate to say that, 8 years later, we still have not changed his ignorant mindset. Oh, well. We will keep trying. Miracles do happen!

You change everyone around you. I've remembered 1108 from your rookie year on and your rising star shines brighter every year as it goes higher and higher. I wasn't so much thinking about the competition side of the team, I was thinking about the outreach possibilities side of the team. Here's just one example: I can't begin to tell how many times Mr. Bertucci has fixed something for the band. The xylophones seem to be a favorite. Another one -our annual car bash has become a big tradition at the school and has gotten members of the faculty and administration involved. It's a constant effort to deepen that impact within the community. A few years ago the team decided that we need more Liberal Arts students on the team and we hatched a really cool recruitment program followed up by an orientation. The recruitment program involved talking with the administration initially, and then going to the teachers of the courses we chose and asking them if we could make a 5 minute presentation to their class. It was great. Those are just a few examples of how our team has become a part of the school community.

Sorry, I can get really fired up about this topic -
Jane

P.S. I just read about the pep rally - we've had pep rally send-offs as we leave for the Championship. It's been amazing watching the partnership with the school grow and the team become more visible and valued.