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Mount Vernon City School District unites all four high schools at Unified Homecoming Pep Rally

Mount Vernon City School District unites all four high schools at Unified Homecoming Pep Rally

On Wednesday, October 2, 2024, the Mount Vernon High School gymnasium stands were packed with high school students from around the District, repping their school colors and Mount Vernon pride. Students from all four Mount Vernon City School District high schools joined forces for the afternoon's pep rally, getting hyped for the big Unified Homecoming Game on Saturday, October 5, at Memorial Field. 

MC hyping up crowd at pep rally.

“I am very excited for Saturday!” said Antonio Hernandez, right tackle for the Mount Vernon Knights Football Team. “I am very excited to play against Yonkers Force again. Last year we beat them 47-9 and I hope we can do that again.”  

The crowd was ecstatic, waving around their red and gold pom poms and making noise for their student-athletes. The event was led by Ethan Fertil, President of the Mount Vernon STEAM Academy’s senior class, and Jazzy Christane Marsh, Student Treasurer for MVHS, who worked tirelessly to plan the pep rally with class officers from each high school.  

“I’m feeling great today,” said Ethan, looking back on his performance as master of ceremonies. “I think MCing the event was a really fun experience. It was fun planning and working with everybody. I think I enjoyed that a lot.”  

Group of friends posing with red and gold pompoms.

The pep rally showcased many sides of Mount Vernon’s talented students. The event opened with a booming performance by the Denzel Washington School of the Arts Drumline, getting students excited in the stands while they mixed percussion and dance.  Next, Mount Vernon’s Fall sports teams ran out holding their banners.  

After all of the sports teams ran out, an electric performance was given by the Mount Vernon Knights Varsity Cheerleading Team. In an amazing show of school spirit, the cheerleaders danced and shouted for MVHS, riling up the crowds.  

Homecoming Court is a large part of what makes Homecoming so special. This year, two students from each high school were crowned as Homecoming kings and queens and given crowns and sashes to wear throughout the pep rally. Yudice Lopez, 12th-grade student from DWSA, was pleasantly surprised when she heard her name called for Homecoming Court.  

DWSA student getting crowned for homecoming court.

“Today was so nice. I didn’t expect to win,” said Yudice. “I had a lot of fun with the games and a lot of fun with the schools. This is the first time all four schools have been together, especially since Rebecca Turner became a high school, so it was really nice, and I got to see a lot of people I haven’t seen in years.”   

The MCs then invited students and athletes to the basketball court to partake in games of tug-o-war and red light, green light. Students were pleasantly surprised and scared when secret guest Michael Myers of the Halloween franchise appeared to play “catcher” in red light, green light, causing a few students to run away laughing.  

The pep rally closed out with a special performance from the Knights Junior Varsity Cheerleading Team, who performed a dance especially for the day. This was the first performance of the year for the JV team, and they were greatly supported by their varsity counterparts and members of the crowd who whooped in excitement once the performance concluded.   

Varsity and JV cheerleading teams holding banner.

“My favorite part of today was getting to see the JV team participate because that was their first performance of the year,” said Jazzy. “It was exciting seeing all the schools together and that we were able to share a moment like this for the Class of 2025. I’m glad that everyone was able to participate and that I was able to be in the middle of it.” 

This weekend’s homecoming football game, which will be at Memorial Field at 3 p.m. on Saturday, provides an opportunity for the entire community to come out and support the students.  

The Homecoming Dance will take place at MVHS from 6 to 9 p.m. and all high school students from the District are encouraged to attend! Tickets are $10 at the door.  

Click here to view the full photo gallery!

Women's tennis team walking into pep rally with their banner.


 

Students wearing costumes.

Creative costumes filled Mount Vernon City School District hallways on Thursday, October 31, 2024, as students celebrated Halloween. Among the celebrations, high school students at Rebecca Turner Academy handed out candy and painted faces of pre-K children, building community through collaboration. At Benjamin Turner Academy, parents, staff and students in the upper grades handed out candy to younger students in the library. At Graham School, the hallways were decorated with tables, and students walked around collecting treats. Hamilton School also held its annual trunk or treat.

Sheba Serna

Sheba Serna, a Mount Vernon High School Class of 1992 graduate, was recently awarded as Rebecca Turner Academy’s Teacher of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year by the Mount Vernon City School District. Ms. Serna worked in the Sundown Alternative Program prior to the founding of RTA, and she values her work deeply because she feels that she would have been an RTA student herself. The support she received at MVHS helped to propel her towards a teaching career within the District.

View the Q+A with Ms. Serna here!

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Dr. K. Veronica Smith, Acting Superintendent of Schools: 

This morning, we held a meeting with Mount Vernon STEAM Academy, Mount Vernon High School, Rebecca Turner Academy and Denzel Washington School of the Arts stakeholders regarding student searches at arrival and are working towards a resolution of this matter. These searches were implemented to keep all students in the building safe, and we are looking for an equitable solution that maintains our safety standards while providing a positive school culture and ensuring students are respected. We will continue to work with stakeholders to create a safe environment at all Mount Vernon City School District schools.

Students holding up orange cards.

Students in the Mount Vernon City School District learned more about their peers and met new friends during Mix it Up at Lunch Day on Monday, October 28, 2024. This was the final initiative of Bullying Prevention Month, which was recognized in multiple ways District-wide. Students wore blue on World Day of Bullying Prevention (October 7) and orange on Unity Day (October 16) to take a united stand against hate of all forms.

Student cooking with his mom

Ingredients for muffins and quesadillas lined the culinary arts kitchen at Mount Vernon High School, as the MVCSD pre-K students were invited to Kids in the Kitchen on Thursday, October 24, 2024, a collaboration with Feeding Westchester. Kids in the Kitchen is an ongoing series of workshops where pre-K families are invited to learn about healthy eating habits and practice cooking skills.