Caravan cancellation
A lack of student participation is hindering our opportunity for the making of traditional high school memories
September 25, 2019
Before this years’ Memorial vs. Central football game, you may have heard something about a “Caravan” being planned.
Essentially, administrators planned for students and staff to drive to Rice Field with a police escort before the game to show off school spirit and hype up the intense face-off.
Now, if you were at the Mangy game early, you would have seen that this did not exactly pan out.
Because of low participation, the Caravan was cancelled. And to me, that is disheartening.
If you look back in Elkhart Memorial yearbooks from the eighties and nineties, you’ll see pictures of this caravan: kids riding in the beds of trucks, cars decorated to the extreme, numerous cars lined up full of energetic students and staff. Looking at these pictures just brought out such a vibe. There’s no way else to put it, it was just so cool.
The cancellation of the Caravan is just one instance where the lack of participation amongst our student body created a missed opportunity.
I’m not sure how this stigma that having school spirit is “lame” got started, but if everyone just stopped caring so much about being “normal” and started having fun, I guarantee we would all benefit.
Aside from that, once the Caravan was cancelled, a tailgate was planned for five o’clock. Arriving at five o’clock, I was disappointed to see that there was nothing but a line of kids waiting at the gate. I understand that the tailgate was a last minute decision, but this was the last game and I’m sure I am not the only one who would’ve liked to have some sort of pregame celebration.
The Caravan was a great idea and I really do wish we could’ve made it happen. The notice was rather late and the participation rate probably would have gone up a little bit if there was more time to hear about it.
All in all, it was a solid idea with a disappointing execution.
The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the GENESIS staff. Email Rayna Minix at [email protected] .
