The senior sendoff rally began when students left their first period classes and eagerly piled into the gymnasium. On May 3rd, West Ranch’s student performers patiently waited on the sidelines for their time to shine in the spotlight. It was the last rally for the seniors, so it had to be memorable.
In preparation of the event, ASB made numerous posters representing the rally’s theme, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!”. Detailed designs covered all sides of the gym, including a massive poster that stretched from the ceiling to the ground. “We sketched out our rough drafts from our reference and then [painted] and made any changes that we wanted,” ASB member and freshman Mazzlyn Ridder said.“The banner that was in between the freshmen and sophomore sides.” On the senior side, to represent the students graduating and going to new places, the concept “Oh the Places You’ll Go” was illustrated on ASB’s posters.
Once everyone settled into the gym, freshman Elina Ghosh led the national anthem. Her voice boomed off the walls as the whole gym listened to her performance. Later, she commented, “I was ecstatic with the audience’s reactions, especially because I have never sung by myself in front of that big of a crowd before.”
The first set of emcees consisted of three graduating seniors: Isabella Sandoval, Ian Town and Eli Wamsteker. They kicked off the activities by giving Principal Mr. Fisher the spotlight. He led the spirit chants, and for the last time, the seniors poured out their voices to secure a final victory as the most spirited class.
After the spirit chants, Mr. Fisher introduced the cheer team onto the floor. Their performance started with upbeat music and enthusiasm. The team showcased a routine of backflips and coordinated dances.
After cheer’s intricate performance, co-ed dance took to the stage. To add playfulness to their performance, the co-ed team split into two groups and had a “dance-off”. The boys performed first, flexing their muscles, spinning around and performing a fun choreography. Following the boys, the girls won the crowd over. Their dance was more intricate, consisting of twirls, hair flips and bold moves. Members later danced in duos of a guy and a girl. Overall, co-ed dance put on an entertaining show for West Ranch.
The dancing in the rally was not done just yet, as West Ranch’s crowd favorite club came up on stage: Hip Hop. Their self-choreographed dances left the gymnasium in awe. After the club’s main dance, the graduating seniors came onto the stage and had their own group dance. This dance showcased each senior’s style of dancing. Senior Ashley Owens-Burrell described how she felt about the dance: “I think this dance was one of our most hype dances that we have performed. When the audience knows the music they feel more engaged. I cannot be sure how the audience felt, all I can hope is that they enjoyed it, but that performance was more for the Hip Hop members than anyone else. The dance was us handing off Hip Hop to the underclassmen and saying goodbye.”
Seniors from varying electives and sports teams at West Ranch came together following the string of performances. These seniors contributed to a “Senior Time Capsule” at the center of the gym. In the time capsule, each group represented their class’ legacy on campus. Senior Effie Gross, an emcee who also participated in the time capsule activity, recalled, “I loved hosting the final rally for the seniors, hosting was something I always wanted to do and I’m grateful I got to do it twice.” Gross, also a member of West Ranch TV, explained that her contribution was a computer chip with recordings of the students’ favorite moments in the class.
Following the trip down memory lane, the next group of performers was the nationally recognized dance team. The team executed their choreography, displaying strong teamwork and impressive dance moves. As the dance team exited the floor, Color Guard came into focus, leaving sunglasses inside the Senior Time Capsule from their 2021 show.
Making their way onto the gymnasium floor, West Ranch’s award-winning drumline made their way to the center of the floor. With their riveting energy, the whole auditorium was full of cheers. The banging of drums vibrated the gym floors, and the whole crowd was invigorated with the music.
As a final farewell to the seniors, West Ranch staff members, wearing Dr. Seuss themed attire, walked onto the floor holding signs with words of encouragement. The staff performed a choreographed dance while the seniors watched them, remembering their favorite teachers and staff faculty.
While the underclassmen and juniors headed to brunch, seniors were asked to stay for a special tribute. WRTV presented a heartwarming senior video that showcased everything that happened during the Class of 2024’s time in high school. As the graduating students saw memories dating back all the way to freshman year, the room was filled with different emotions. Some laughed at seeing their ninth grade selves, while others cried, reminiscing about a closing chapter on their lives.
Seniors, don’t forget: once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat.
