Mel Hambelton Ford put on their ninth annual pep rally for area wide high schools. The event was at their car dealership in Wichita on August 27, where they distributed different prizes and had tents set up from different places, like stores or colleges. There were also performances from dance teams, cheer teams and drumlines. Teams could perform their own choreographed dance, like the cheer team, or on that they learned from a summer camp.

“It took two practices to learn it, it was a dance from camp, which is shortened so we have to add on a little bit and make the song a little longer,” junior Evelynn Bartley said.

The Railiners have been attending this event for many years. However, for some teams, like the cheerleaders, haven’t attended every year but decided to go this year. 

“We went my sophomore year, and then the Railiners asked us to go with them, so we did,” senior Reagan Moe said. 

Even though this is the first performance for the year, the teams have been preparing for this event, the cheerleaders spent many weeks practicing this summer to make this year better, with the help of senior leaders the team has put in lots of extra work to prepare for the year. 

“I want to inspire everyone to work harder and just make the season really good,” Moe said.