The student government plans to announce the Pep Club at the spring assembly on Mar. 28. According to student council sponsor Sarah Derks, the new group will help more students get involved during spirit weeks and assemblies moving forward. 

Juniors Charley Newby, Haley Shannon, Ben Silin and Claire Wilkinson are a few of the Pep Club officers who were handpicked by the executive StuGo board. 

“[We] want someone who’s genuinely proud of being a Husky,” Derks said. “These are people that care about student involvement and spirit and are [not] afraid to put themselves out there.” 

This student-run organization is in charge of spirit weeks, including getting students involved in skits while working with the StuGo executive board to assemble the games. 

Derks said during non-spirit weeks, Pep Club will have representatives from each class go to sporting games through fall and spring. She said BVH and BVW spirit groups have modeled the expectations of the Pep Club at Northwest. 

“[Blue Valley High and Blue Valley West] try to make sure that they are cheering on everyone and not just the big popular sports,” Derks said. “I want to bring notice to all sports [and] support everyone.”

Meetings are tentatively going to be held quarterly, and current executive board members will continue to have an hour dedicated to StuGo in their class schedule, which may include Pep Club officers next year. 

Senior members of StuGo’s executive board are assisting in the introduction of Pep Club, despite it not formally taking place until next school year.  

Derks said she wants the Student Government and Pep Club to work together, although members in either group are not required to be in both. Derks said this is in place to let students pick where they feel comfortable. 

“We’re just really trying to honor kids and their strengths and leadership,” Derks said

StuGo said they are looking for students to get involved, specifically underclassmen. 

Senior executive board treasurer Katie Mitchell said it is up to the students within BVNW to participate with the addition of Pep Club. 

“I think the Pep Club will help increase school spirit and bring more community within Northwest,” Mitchell said. “But it’s up to the rest of Northwest to make sure that it happens.”

Email Sarah Derks at [email protected] or student government assistant sponsor Taylor Heiman at [email protected] for more information about how to join the Pep Club.