ASB to hold first winter rally in three years

A+student+goes+up+for+a+layup+in+the+2020+staff-versus-students+basketball+game.+According+to+senior+Caden+Domingo%2C+who+will+be+playing+in+the+game%2C+events+like+these+bring+the+Paly+community+together.+I+think+it+%5Bthe+winter+rally%5D+does+a+lot+for+students+spirit%2C+Domingo+said.+Theres+a+lot+of+school+pride+in+winning+against+the+staff.+%28Photo%3A+Kira+Sterling%29

A student goes up for a layup in the 2020 staff-versus-students basketball game. According to senior Caden Domingo, who will be playing in the game, events like these bring the Paly community together. “I think it [the winter rally] does a lot for students’ spirit,” Domingo said. “There’s a lot of school pride in winning against the staff.” (Photo: Kira Sterling)

Benjamin Grimes and Leena Hussein

Editor’s note: a previous version of this story incorrectly listed ASB senior Senator Mia Rose Tuifua as Mia Rose Tuifa. This has since been updated.

Students are anticipating the Associated Student Body’s traditional seniors-versus-staff basketball game and Prom reveal Wednesday during the Winter Rally in Palo Alto High School’s Peery Center.

According to senior Senator Mia Rose Tuifua, this year’s Winter Rally was influenced by the Spirit Week scale-backs, which involved the cancellation of two rallies in September.

“A big part of it [planning the Winter Rally] was probably losing our traditional Spirit Week,” Tuifua said. “So, we thought that it would be great to give the student body something else to look forward to during the year, like another rally.”

Tuifua said in comparison to previous years’ ASB events, the scale of the rally will be larger, involving many more students.

“There’s our Prom reveal, and then we also have performances from the Dance Team, and then of course, the big basketball game, seniors versus staff,” Tuifua said. 

Tuifua said in order to organize all the different components of the rally, ASB implemented a new system called RAMP to distribute the work. RAMP stands for Recognition, Audio, Media, and Publicity.

“We adjusted just by making time for making it [the rally] one of our priorities and we started a new system called RAMP,” Tuifua said. “It basically assigns every member in ASB to a certain role for the winter rally. So, everything has been going pretty smoothly.” 

Senior dance captain Theresa Hart said she is looking forward to performing in front of the entire school and showcasing the choreography created by fellow teammates. 

“It’s fun to perform again in front of the school,” Hart said. “It’s always bigger than football or basketball games because it is [rallies are] during school hours and that can be a little scary. Our semester officers choreographed a dance, and it is something completely new.”

Hart said although the team struggled with having enough time to perfect this performance, members are excited to be a part of the school-wide event.  

“We were under a bit of a time crunch because we learned this dance on Friday and finished on Monday, so we only have one day to clean it and make it look the best for the school,” Hart said.

According to Tuifua, she hopes this rally will help students regain a sense of school spirit. 

“We want to see every single grade there for each other, and for freshmen through seniors to show up and show support for the seniors,” Tuifua said. “We all lost half of our Spirit Week, and for us to have another event, I think everyone is going to be really happy and excited and we’re all going to be able to share that joy together.” 

According to senior Caleb Wong, who will be playing in the student-versus-staff basketball game, the rally is a great opportunity to have a good time with the Paly community. 

“I’m looking forward to having fun seeing all the students in the stands and hopefully putting on a good show,” Wong said. “I hope to not disappoint myself, not fall over and break my ankles, and score on the teachers and get some buckets.”

Senior Caden Domingo, who will also play in the game said the seniors are expecting to walk away with a win tomorrow. 

“Definitely, the students are winning,” Domingo said. “We all used to ball, we’re all hoopers, so I think we’re very capable of playing a good game tomorrow.”