WFAA Channel 8 hosts Alarm Clock pep rally in gym

The Sapphires and cheerleaders are sprawled out on the floor. The football players, sitting in chairs, rest their heads on their fellow teammates.  Snug in their pajamas, the students pretend to sleep in the stands.

WFAA Channel 8’s Mike Castellucci hosted his annual Alarm Clock Pep Rally in the main gym Nov. 6 at 6 a.m. to celebrate the varsity football team becoming district champions for the first time and to bring the students together to build school spirit.

“Although it was not very quiet, the students all pretended to be asleep for the beginning of the broadcast,” Sapphire Preslee Waters said.

Castellucci had the pep rally DJ, The Mouth from The South, “wake up” the crowd by introducing Raider Nation, causing all the students to jump up and begin performing the Raider Rumble, a choreographed dance, for live television.

Lots of students, staff, teams and groups came to the pep rally to build spirit and make the entire event possible. Principal Mike Williams let the students attending the early morning pep rally break dress code by wearing pajamas for the day.

“It was cool seeing people in their pajamas, showing a more intimate side of themselves that I don’t normally see and having each individual unified at the pep rally,” senior Camila Garcia said.

Garcia helped pass out free donuts and breakfast tacos, donated by Chiloso, at the end of the pep rally.

“People were screaming my name and I had to throw tacos to them,” Garcia said.

“I think the best part was the number of students and staff that showed up with their enthusiasm and spirit,” Williams said. “I think the Raider Rumble shows the unity of our school, and it’s impressive.”

See the video aired on WFAA here.