Katy VanCuren, Assistant Principal
Rockford High School
Community support is alive and well at Rockford. I am privileged to see it firsthand every day in my job. We have a very active parent volunteer base that continues to aid and assist at the High School level, and an enthusiastic student body involved in several service organizations. New clubs like the Lion’s Club, Rotary/Interact and Thirsting to Serve have started programs in our middle and high schools and are thriving due to the population of students participating.
As I watched the football game on Friday night, I was humbled by how many members of the community were in attendance. Sure there was a football game to watch, but as I started adding up the number of people who were in the crowded stadium – it occurred to me that the excitement in the air was about more than just the game. Everyone had a special reason for being there …
85 Football team members (including coaches, managers, etc..)
270 marching band and flag corp members
14 Dance team
350 total numbers of elementary aged students who paraded around the track representing taking part in a district reading program over the summer
8 Hall of Fame inductees
I started wondering, how many parents were in attendance to see their daughter dance, or cheer? How many grandparents came to watch a grandchild celebrate their love for reading? How many families came back to Rockford, after being away for years, to take part in the fabulous Hall of Fame activities? How many families were there to support their child who marches in the band or flies a flag at halftime? The list goes on and on. Yes, I guess we are all there for a Friday night football game but the game had a lot more meaning when we see all the activities that go on either before, after or during half time of that game.
We in Rockford call this, Ram Pride. It is a tremendous sense of pride in our schools, businesses and community. We celebrate and acknowledge our successes in many ways and it breeds more and more success. Quite frankly, it’s why people move to Rockford and stay. It’s why people who live in Rockford come to the games, wear Ram apparel, and sport window decals. The strong sense of community is alive and well at Rockford!