During FLEX on September 2nd and 3rd, Irvington ASG held the first rally of the year; the Hello Rally. Acting as an introduction to school culture for freshmen and setting the tone of the school year, this rally is essential to Irvington’s school spirit. Students filled the gym with chants, excitement, and cheers as each class brought their energy to kick off the school year.
When asked on the key metrics of a successful rally, Rally Commissioner Rocky Yang (12) explained, “We just want crowd participation. Everyone should be cheering. Everyone should be loud spirited. When we have that sense of loudness and togetherness, it makes a rally so much more successful. I think we hit all of those metrics.”
To capture the excitement and interest of all students, the rally incorporated a variety of engaging acts. This year’s program ranged from Juggling Club’s first ever performance to musical chairs in drunk goggles hosted by Rally Crew. Each act was carefully curated to appeal to all audiences. Rally Executive Ayesha Abdussamy (12) explains the thought process behind this selection: “We try to get a good mix. We’re mainly just trying to get an excited and spirited tone. There’s a lot of talent at Irvington, and I think that sometimes that gets underrepresented. That’s what we use rallies to show.”
Performers also saw the Hello Rally as a chance to set the bar for the rest of the year. ICED, Irvington’s student dance team, used the event to showcase their talent while energizing the crowd. “The Hello Rally is definitely a pivotal moment in the beginning of the school year. Everybody’s there. It’s the first rally and it sets the tone for the school year.” ICED co-president Alyson Tan (12) explains, “So we [ICED] figured it’d be a really good opportunity for us to show off our moves a bit. And also bring school spirit up and hopefully get people interested.”
For many, the Hello Rally is their first glimpse of Irvington’s school culture of involvement. From chanting in the bleachers to watching student-led performances, the event offered a preview of the spirited community that defines Irvington. “The Hello Rally shows that we’re really unified and have a lot of school spirit.” Nicole Zhan (10) adds, “It’s a really great experience especially for freshmen to get to know their school.”
