Once you start middle school, you are asked, “Where do you plan on going to college?” In high school, you need to have an answer.

Chapman High School offered a go-to-college pep rally to talk with the freshmen and eighth grades that attend Mabry Middle School or Campobello-Gramling.

Assistant Principal Andrew McMillan set up the college pep rally for many different reasons.

“Even though it is set up like a pep rally, our main goal is for the younger students to be exposed to successful tips they will have for the next four years,” he said.  Our main goal for every student to graduate high school and attend college but if they don’t go they will have the tips for a lifetime.”

Chapman sets this up every other year to show the underclassmen and soon to be rising freshman what Chapman and high school is all about.

During the pep rally the students are shown what it is like to be a panther.

The spirit stick is brought out, and the freshmen and eighth graders fight over who will win it.

The speakers who are brought in have many different special reason they come.

“Two years ago when the college pep rally started a committee started choosing the speakers but now I get the opportunity too,” McMillan said. “I chose Leslie Boyd as a speaker this year because not only can she relate to some situations, she can also catch the student’s attention.”

Freshman Mikele Colasurdo attended the pep rally and got to feel what his highschool career will be about.

“At the pep rally I learned that there are many people in this school and community that will help me with everything I need for college. Also, I got to feel what it would be like to be the big dogs on campus,” Colasurdo said.

Colasurdo was really inspired from the speakers.

“All of the speakers really inspired me to set my goals high and to work as hard as I possibly can to achieve those goals. I have set my mind to have determination to reach my goals and I can thank the speakers at the Chapman pep rally,” Colasurdo said.

McMillan hopes the children take many different things from the pep rally but mainly what it takes to be successful.

“I hope the students take big things from this pep rally. I want them to see what students on campus or from campus have gone though,” McMillan said. “I want our students to understand and do everything they can to achieve their goals and become successful.”