One day a year, Friends students of all ages flood the streets of campus wearing scarlet and gray. Lining the sides of the main driveway, they’re waiting for a parade. 

On Friday October 18th, the festivities began with buses honking and beeping to wind up the students. The buses had been decorated by lower school students, in an old tradition of making paper chains in the school colors to hang along the sides. 

Next came the band. Playing hype songs that could be heard for miles, the Morgan State University marching band wound its way down the driveway. The band has a longstanding tradition of making a guest appearance at Friends School’s pep rally day. 

Once they passed the Lower School, students were permitted to excitedly flood the street and follow the band to the Old Gym. Members of the Friends School Athletic Association acted as a buffer, waving a flag and making sure no students came too close to the buses or the band. 

As students flooded the gym, FSAA members helped to increase the happy energy in the room by running around in front of the crowd, encouraging people to cheer. The band played some songs students knew the lyrics to like “They Not Like Us¨ By Kendrick Lamar and “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love” by USHER. When they finished their performance, students joined in a celebratory and thankful chant of “MORGAN STATE! MORGAN STATE!” 

Next, all the school athletic teams did coordinated dances. Girls volleyball did a rendition of “Diva” by Beyonce and “Thunderstruck” by ACDC. Cross country did a dance to “Hot To Go” by Chappel Roan, after some technical difficulties with the speakers being too soft. 

Pep rally day is a day that always falls on a Friday where students of Friends School work up their energy and school spirit for the upcoming Scarlet and Grey Day on Saturday.