From Friday night football games to graduation day, the GCHS Alma Mater is a familiar melody. The Alma Mater represents school tradition, pride and connection between students, teachers and alumni.
However, in recent years, it seems that not many students are motivated or care to learn the song unless they are required to do so.
English teacher Teresa Eubanks requires her students to learn the song and present it for a test grade and can even earn bonus points if they sing it. She believes the alma mater provides a sense of community and creates a bridge between past and present student generations.
“Students need to have some type of connection to the students who came before them and the students who will come after them,” Eubanks said.
Eubanks wants her students to have a sense of pride and tradition towards their school.
Principal Jason Holland was required to learn the song when he was in school, like Eubanks’s students, and believes it is a good thing that some teachers teach it in their classrooms and wants them to know the meaning when they do learn it.
“Sometimes you say and sing things and then sometimes you don’t think about the meaning of it,” Holland said.
Holland believes that if students understand what the song is and what it means to the school and to students themselves, they will be more likely to learn and feel a sense of pride.
“If it means something to you and you know there is a reason it means something to you, then you’re going to be more apt to know it,” Holland said.
When it comes to the students at the school, several groups are made to learn the song. In band, students have to learn the tune, but not the words. However, in cheer, the cheerleaders are required to learn the words and sing along with the tune.
Sophomore Ty Larsen explains that he just has to play the tune, and although he does not know the words to the song, he believes it is important to know.
“It’s a big part of the connection between all of us because whenever we’re all coming down to the pep rallies, we’re all one with one hope,” Larsen said.
Sophomore Grace Stringer, who is also a band member, believes that the purpose of the song is to honor our school.
“ Just to honor all of the people that were in the game, no matter if it was football players, cheerleaders, or band,” Stringer said.
Both band members are happy that they are able to represent the school by playing the alma mater.
“I try to play it the best I can, no matter how much effort I put into the rest of the songs,” Stringer said.
Junior Karly Mizell is a cheerleader who knows the lyrics to the Alma Mater and sings it at pep rallies and games. She thinks the Alma Mater is important because it brings our school together and gives students a chance to bond.
“ Make connections throughout the school and to come together and sing,” Mizell said.
She believes simply singing the song after football games can help to keep the tradition alive even if students only know the ending. At pep rallies and games, almost all students scream the final line of the song,”George County High School, Hail!”, a display of unity among the student body.
