As a result of the pandemic, the final pep rally of the year (and for seniors) was held virtually in order to ensure the safety of students. Unfortunately, much of the excitement and anticipation that many students feel leading up to the pep rally and its competitions was diminished since students were unable to gather in the gym. There were no crowds of people to cheer on their grade as each representative battled the other in MarioKart, and no means of interacting with the audience. So the real question here is: What did students think of this virtual pep rally?

   ¨I think that it’s really inventive and interesting that they’re still having socially distanced pep rallies. I liked watching the dance performance from DA too,¨ says Audrey Tse (12). 

   The idea of a socially distanced pep rally that still managed to showcase the performances of sports teams, clubs, and other students gives Aliso the ability to enjoy the show safely, while still being enjoyable for those watching. Many seniors, although this was the last pep rally they would watch at Aliso, were clearly still able to find enjoyment and comfort in this virtual pep rally, despite the current situation forced on the school. 

   ¨Ï liked watching the MarioKart competition, and the pep rally was pretty funny in general,¨ says Touma Kondo (12). 

   Despite the lack of crowd and enthusiasm given by students in a live pep rally, it seems our class representatives did a great job in adding in their own humorous comments and additions to make the whole experience more enjoyable. The commentary given during the MarioKart racing tournament, as well as the comments made by the class representatives added to this happy atmosphere, allowing students to take a well-needed break from class. 

   ¨My favorite part was watching the junior representative (Kenton Bui) play MarioKart¨ says Ashley Chan (11). 

   During this MarioKart race between the classes, the junior class had come in last place on the course known as ¨Rainbow Road¨, one of the hardest courses in the game. This race seems to be the most talked about part of the pep rally, and is what students got the most enjoyment from. While many students did, at first, view the pep rally with suspicion and doubt, many came to enjoy the clips shown, despite the pep rally lacking the hype of a live crowd.