Looking past the singing and dancing, “High School Musical” is seen as a classic portrayal of an American high school with things like intense school spirit and “star” athletes.
However, since Masters doesn’t fit what a stereotypical high school might look like, as a small private school, not known for title-winning sports teams, and instead boasting an impressive arts program, the traditions we have are much different. Our traditions, like Founder’s Day, Wintermission, and our Halloween skit celebration, are molded by our differences.
Recently, new school traditions were added, spearheaded by the Dobbs Athletic Association, or DAA, like Homecoming and the pep rally that debuted this year. DAA leaders Emma Barnes ‘26 and Danse Mobray ‘26 spoke about the importance of sports events to school spirit.
Barnes said, “Everyone can come together on a set of bleachers and watch a sports game. It’s something that’s very accessible to everyone.”
These are all paired with a new push from the sports department in strengthening school spirit and the performance of sports teams.
“A lot of people have come to the school very interested in our athletics. Our teams are doing really well, and that’s attracting more people specifically for sports,” said Mobray.
Student reaction to the pep rally has been a mixed bag, with some citing confusion on the exact point of it.
Sophomore Caitlyn Berry said, “The point of a pep rally is to get hyped, and it did not get hyped.”
The issue lies in the fact that it feels unnatural for the school to try to push these new events into spaces where students aren’t receptive to them. In fact, before the recent expansions of the sports program, it felt like almost no one would go to Masters for anything specifically sports-related.
When Masters shifted from an all-girls school to a co-ed one, it was decided that a football team didn’t fit the vision of the school and one would never be added. Thus, this new shift towards sports traditions like the pep rally rubs against the idea that students previously held of the school. Coupled with the fact that the Claudia Boettcher Theatre is currently unavailable, handicapping the performing arts program, the school feels like it’s changing.
However, change is inevitable, and as Masters gains more students and attempts to strengthen our athletics program, things have to change.
Students should see these changes as good or, at the very least, necessary as the student body changes. Of course, traditions take a while to fully take hold within the school culture, and something that may seem lame right now may be one of the most exciting events at school in the future.
As we all consider the changes happening at school, we must also keep in mind that while they may not seem like the best for us, they may be what we need for the future.
