The annual Back-to-School Rally, which unlike previous years will offer opportunities for each class to earn Spirit Week points, will take place at lunch Friday, on the Quad at Palo Alto High School. 

Senior Paige Knoblock and junior Emma Lin, associated student body spirit commissioners, hope this change will encourage participation.

“We want it to be different from past years,” Knoblock said. “We’re trying to make it more exciting and fun for everyone.”

Classes will receive 500, 300, 200, or 100 points, depending on the results of the rally. However, classes that do not have enough participants risk losing their chance to earn additional points. 

“If you don’t have enough people or if you don’t participate then you just don’t get any points,” Lin said. “Right now, only juniors and seniors are signed up.” 

According to Knoblock, the rally will feature a relay race and a performance by the dance team. Lin hopes these additions will increase participation and establish school spirit prior to Spirit Week in October.

“We want to show the incoming freshman a bit of a sneak preview of what Spirit Week will look like,” Lin said.