Gibson Southern played host to the first Channel 14 Sunrise School Spirit pep rally of the 2023 school year early in the morning on Friday, Sept. 15. The event, first put together in 2015 by 14 News and held in most years since, benefits the Evansville Tri-State Food Bank through a school-wide food drive leading up to the rally.
The pep rally began bright and early at roughly 6:00 a.m. on the football field with a roll call of both fall sports teams as well as the cheerleaders, with football, volleyball, cross country, boys tennis, girls golf and boys and girls soccer all represented.
“I think having everyone recognize [each sport] individually, talking about what games we have coming up, I think that was really cool of them to do,” said Luke Snyder, Gibson Southern senior athlete.
Soon, activities kicked off with students volunteering to join in games of Duck, Duck, Goose and the Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes, Cone Game. Gibson Southern’s pep band was present as well, accompanying the morning with songs and routines often heard at Titan sports competitions.
“The atmosphere at Gibson Southern was phenomenal,” 14 News reporter Haley Kerby said.
School spirit was on display all throughout the morning, with students filling the stands draped in maroon and gold. With the event being televised on local news station 14 WFIE, many students felt it important to represent their school for those outside of Gibson County to see.
“To show everybody who we are and what we’re capable of is pretty cool,” Gibson Southern junior Olivia Cox said.
Those who were in charge of broadcasting the morning’s events to the Tri-State Area were left impressed.
“I left Gibson Southern with a better sense of how close the community is,” Kerby said. “The Titans are definitely all about spirit and being there for each other.”
Sunrise School Spirit was originally put together in the fall of 2015 as a celebration after a week of collecting canned goods to be donated to Tri-State Food Bank, a local organization dedicated to providing assistance to families who struggle to keep enough food in the house. The idea first came about after WFIE ran a story on the food bank and their efforts and decided to collaborate with them more.
“Sunrise School Spirit has become Tri-State Food Bank’s largest food drive,” said Glenn Roberts, Executive Director of Tri-State Food Bank.
Gibson Southern students and the surrounding community were able to raise 10,270 pounds of canned goods through the week, contributing to the over 800,000 pounds that have been collected since the program first began.
“People were ready; they were happy to be there,” Cox said.
Watch 14 WFIE at Gibson Southern here:
Gibson Southern takes on Sunrise School Spirit – Tease 2
Gibson Southern takes on Sunrise School Spirit – Tease 3
Gibson Southern takes on Sunrise School Spirit – Live 2
Gibson Southern takes on Sunrise School Spirit – Live 3
Gibson Southern takes on Sunrise School Spirit
Click here to see how Union County, the school after Gibson Southern, performed!
