Extra circular activities have thrived for many years going way back to their first football championship in 1961 and to star valleys most recent championship in band receiving a superior award. Over the past three years (2020-2023) the week before our teams face state, the student body has came together to celebrate, support, and wish good luck to their peers in a state send off assembly.
State send offs have not always been assemblies, in fact, over the years there have been new ways the student body tried to help honor those who make it to state. Prior to the assemblies, the student body would exit their class rooms and line the halls as the teams about to go to state would walk all through the halls of there peers. Before that there was no assembly or hall walk, the students who qualified for state were only given a star valley coin (now dog tags). Now repeating history the tactic has changed yet again. Star Valley Student Council sent out a google doc form to all grades of the high school to gather students opinion on the assemblies; they decided to end the eras of send off assemblies to transition into a new type state celebration. As of October of 2023 the students of star valley no longer would have state send off assemblies and instead would have a season sport wrap up of all the activities during that time period, and only have an assembly for the activities come back from state victorious. In light of this new change I’ve gathered opinions on the subject.
Student council member Allie Jack says, “Personally, I think that most students didn’t like state send off
s and they would usually skip. Now we will do an assembly at the end of the year to recognize everyone that participated in a state event, and will have an individual assembly for the teams that win ”
“I don’t like how everything is being switched this year and I like acknowledging the people that get to go to
state ,” says senior volleyball and basketball player Kenlee Engelhardt.
Senior football player and wrestler Porter Merritt says, “It’s fine because I think its better that you can celebrate after you win.”
Lastly administrator Robert Ericksons, take on the change is, “If given the choice between honoring state champions with an assembly and having an assembly for teams going to state i would like to honor the champions more, we still honor those who make it to state with the star valley dog tags.”
With each change the main goal has always been to create a enjoyable celebration for the team and student body with better attendance. The ways Star Valley High School has chosen to honor and recognize the activities the students participated has for certain changed over time; hopefully with this new trial, the outcome will end with a more successful and enjoyable event for the student body.
