‘Of all the hard jobs around, one of the hardest is being a teacher.’ — Maggie Gallagher
Movies and television series have set a high bar on how fun, exciting, and team spirit-boosting high school pep rallies could be – but rarely do we see real pep rallies living up to the Hollywood standard. However, one pep rally in Lake Mary High School in Florida was an exception.
In this school being a teacher is more than simply teaching! In preparation for the varsity football team’s game against their oldest and biggest rival, the Lake Mary High School’s principal, Dr. Donna “Mickey” Reynolds, brought in 30 members of her faculty and staff to join the award-winning dance team, the Lake Mary Marionettes, for a pep rally that surprised everyone.
The Lake Mary Marionettes hold remarkable achievements under their belt – they are 31-Time National Champions, including 2018 NDA National Champions in Varsity Kick, Team Performance, and JV Kick. It’s no wonder why the performance they gave drove the crowds and the Internet wild.
On September 15, the school uploaded a video of their show-stopping performance on Facebook, and it garnered almost 120,000 views, more than 800 likes, over 700 shares, and 179 comments! All were about cheers and praises, with one parent even commenting that her kids are going to Lake Mary.
And what better way to cap off such an amazing dance routine? With the Lake Mary High School principal and teachers as surprise guests, of course!
Stephanie Kersten, the Lake Mary Marionettes’ team coach, had each girl pick a faculty member as her partner for the performance. Once selected, Kersten sent each pair a dance instruction video – with the school’s new dean of discipline, English and Chemistry teachers, and even the principal, who used to be the captain of the step team back in her days, staying after school to practice – all in the name of school spirit. The job of a teacher is never done as the popular saying goes.
Demonstrating “unity” between the teachers and students was Kersten’s goal.
“The teachers and staff members doing that really helped drop that line between them and their students. Those adults really, really want to connect with those kids in any way possible, even if it means going out there and making themselves vulnerable, dancing even if they can’t. The student body went crazy for it!” she told the TODAY show.
“The connection between kids and schools is a healthy one, and we want to promote that,” Kersten added. She hopes that the video will not only serve as entertainment but also as a recognition to the teachers’ dedication to their pupils.
Watch the video below from Lake Mary High School’s Facebook page featuring The Lake Mary Marionettes and the school administration.
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