With Rider/Old High week almost over, have you ever thought about everything that goes on behind the scenes? 

All the planning and the hours students and staff spend to make this week happen? 

The class officers know the answers to these questions and many more, especially after all four of their classes have spent several hours each day to prepare for this week.

“There’s something going on every day, it’s crazy,” junior class president Manasvi Reddy said. “But we do it because we love it.”

Everyone knows that the class officers decorate the school, plan the class breakfast and decorate the floats for The Happening, but there are many other things they organize. 

For example, the senior class officers plan the dress-up days, not the cheerleaders. 

“I feel like they (students) think that because the cheerleaders plan the football dress-up days that they also do the Rider/Old High week,” senior class president Anna Grisel said.   

New to this year is the underclassmen skits, but even without that addition, there was already something going on every day in the class officers’ schedule. For example the junior class had rehearsal Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and they also had to finish decorating.    

“I think it’s really fun to be a part of something that’s gone back this far, and I didn’t go to McNiel, I went to Kirby,” Reddy said. “I think going into high school I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I really didn’t know about Rider/Old High week.” 

The seniors worked even harder to make it the best since it was their last year. 

“I feel sad that it’s my last one because it’s been such a fun tradition, but I also feel happy that I get to (be involved) in so much in it because it is such a fun tradition,” Grisel said.

Even with all the stress that comes with planning Rider/Old High week, the officers said their time and effort was well-spent. 

“The stress is worth it,” Sophomore class vice president Isabella Groves said. “I know like this week is a handful, but it will pay off in the end. On Friday when we all are super excited about the whole week, it’s all worth it.”