Spring Break
Rally full of pep even with no celebrity emcee
Jessica Leggin/Activities Editor
Issue date: 10/20/08 Section: News
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To check out our slideshow of the Jesse White Tumblers, click here!The Eastern Cheer Team made sure to remind students who they were at Friday's Homecoming pep rally.
"P-A-N, T-H-E, R you a Panther? Hell yeah," shouted the team.
For the 2008 Pep Rally, signs of school spirit were displayed throughout Lantz Arena Friday night while the cheerleaders, the band, EIU Pink Panthers, Registered Student Organizations, students and faculty came together to celebrate Homecoming.
Also this year, the Jesse White Tumblers had the audience on their feet as they wowed them with their stunts.
The tumblers, founded in 1959, were created to encourage students on the positive aspects of life.
The tumblers present more than 1,000 performances a year, and travel around the world to places such as the United States, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bermuda and Canada.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White said it is great to share their talents with future leaders.
"The enthusiasm was electrifying," he said.
Emmanuel McGhee, a Jesse White Tumbler, said it is always an experience when coming to perform.
"We like tumbling for crowds who give us inspiration," he said. "It is breathtaking."
Marcell Channell, a Jesse White Tumbler, said it feels wonderful to perform.
"This is an adrenaline rush," he said.
During the tumblers' performance, some Eastern cheerleaders were asked to be volunteers as the tumblers leaped and flew over their heads.
Andrea Thompson, a sophomore communications major and a cheerleader, said it was scary as the tumblers ascended over her head.
"It was a big adrenaline rush," she said. "They were fantastic."
As the pep rally went on, there was a performance by the Rhythm & X-tacy dance team.
Damiya Perkins, a sophomore family and consumer science major and vice president of Rhythm & X-tacy, said it feels great to perform in front of peers.
"We have a lot of support from the school which eases the nervousness," she said. "We go hard or go home."
Ebone Ashford, a senior biology major and president for Rhythm & X-tacy, said she loved the crowd support.
"It's good to know you have crowd support," she said. "I am very proud of my team."
Also, as a tradition, the freshmen football players danced with the Pink Panthers dance team.
James Cooper, a freshman sports management major, said he was nervous when it was time to perform.
"It was kind of nervous but you got to have fun with it," he said.
As the pep rally continued, t-shirts and mini footballs were thrown into the crowd and giveaways were handed out to students and faculty.
Omar Solomon, a senior mass communications major, was one of the emcees for the night, and kept the crowd entertained during the pep rally.
"Let's go everybody," he shouted to the crowd. "Make some noise, EIU."
The annual pep rally has previously had celebrity emcees such as Efren Ramirez (Pedro from "Napolean Dynamite") and Dennis Haskins (Mr. Belding from "Saved by the Bell").
Solomon said the Homecoming Committee helped him keep his school spirit up.
"The Homecoming Committee kept me going with the spirit and energy," said Solomon, the Panther Pride co-chair. "It was great."
Krystina Allbritton, a senior elementary education major and chair of the Homecoming Committee, said everything was great for the pep rally.
"The tumblers were phenomenal," she said. "They brought it."
Allbritton said she gives all the credit to the committee.
"Everybody did good," she said.
Erica Jones, a senior family and consumer science major, said the pep rally was amazing.
"I loved it," she said. "It was just so overwhelming."
Jones said the pep rally was well put together.
"We all had so much school spirit," she said. "I love my school."
Jessica Leggin can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmleggin@eiu.edu.
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