With graduation right around the corner, music teachers Ms. Ashly Thomas and Mr. Nicholas Williams have decided to work on a school song that represents the student population. Not only will this song be played at graduation, but at several other events for years to come. 

Thomas knew that creating a school song was essential from the day she was hired. She instantly saw that there were numerous sports teams and clubs, and thought that two things needed to be added: a marching band and a school song. 

“Because I’m the music teacher, it kind of just felt like my line,” Thomas says. “Which is fine, I figured if anyone’s going, to do it, it’s going to be the people in music.” 

As the first school song, there are many factors that play into what is included in the song and how it represents the school. According to Thomas, the song should needs to be interchangeable, whether it is playing at different sports games or events that bring the community together.

“It’s important because it’s a way that it brings the school together. You know, high school, especially high schools, they have all these different students from all these different backgrounds, and they have all these different cultures,” Thomas says.

As of now, one verse of the song is finished, with several more to come. The choir is scheduled to sing the song first and accompanied by the band. The intention is that eventually as the song spreads to different groups, the whole school will know it. Once the song is finished, it will represent the students and all of the diversity and similarities that they have.

“It’s just all about this line has to rhyme with this line, and that line has to rhyme with that line, and you know, what we are trying to say, and also trying to be a little sarcastic, have some fun with it.” Thomas said. 

One of the main events that the song is intended for is graduation. With graduation coming up in May, it will be the first year that a school song is played for those graduating. Playing a school song at graduation is tradition in many high schools, and having one here assists in tying everything together. 

“It’s one of those things that every real school has, and so if we have a school song, that kind of solidifies our status as an actual real high school,” Thomas said. “I know when I got here there were a lot of students who were saying it’s not a real high school, and we do prom, we have Gradventure, we had our first graduation last year, we have sports teams, we have extracurriculars, and then now we’re going to have a school song. In essence, this is a linchpin in making us officially a real high school, which even without it we are.”