Courtesy/@Columbusacademy/Instagram

The roar of the crowd at this week’s pep rally carried new sounds as the kindergarteners attended their first pep rally alongside their newly assigned senior buddies.

The highly anticipated event kicked off at the end of the day when seniors made the trek to the lower school wings. You could feel the excitement in the hallways as the twelfth graders arrived at the kindergarten classrooms to pick up their new buddies. For me, it was a nostalgic walk down the halls of the lower school for the first time in many years. Senior Michael T. says, “It was crazy to walk past our old classrooms like that. Everything feels so much smaller.” For the kindergarteners, it was just as thrilling an experience to see their buddies for the first time since Convocation and attend their first of many pep rallies. 

Holding hands, the pairings of buddies took the short walk down to the Football field where they were greeted by new Vikings Harper B. (Vicky), Kendall O. (Vicki), and Anthony P. (Vlad). 

Once in the stands, the madness started. The crowd erupted in cheers as the Vikings called out students to compete in various challenges: playing tug of war, pulling races, and pool noodle hockey. You could see the excitement in the kindergarteners’ eyes as the Vikings were victorious in all three competitions.

The buddy program serves as more than just a fun thing to do during activities. It is a core piece of Columbus Academy’s community and tradition. For me, I still remember the times I spent with my two buddies and hope that I can pass the same excitement and joy down to my buddy now.