For the 2018-19 school year, De Soto High School’s Pep Club has made some major changes in order to establish itself as an organization.

Despite being one of DHS’ major influences on school spirit, Pep Club wasn’t exactly well-known to the student body when it was first created during the 2017-18 school year.  

“I was involved in Pep Club as a sophomore, and it wasn’t really a thing,” said junior pep executive Chase Culver. “No one really knew about it.”

Being a sponsor last year, Pep Club co-sponsor Katie Meserko agrees.

“Last year, we weren’t really established,” Meserko said. “It was kind of a last minute club that got offered, so we didn’t have much structure. We didn’t really know what we were in charge of.”

This year, the members of Pep Club have been working hard to create a name for themselves and spread DHS spirit.

One of the most significant changes made to Pep Club this year was the institution of pep executives.

“We have elected 12 executive members, and they run the meetings,” Pep Club co-sponsor Melissa Lehrman said.

“We wanted to have a core leadership of Pep Club. We needed more structure,” Meserko said. “[Pep executives] are in charge of what they see in the school and what needs to happen.”

However, the addition of leadership positions to the club will not limit the amount of people who can be a part of it. Anyone can join Pep Club as a regular member.

“It’s literally a club for everyone,” Meserko said. “If you don’t like talking, you don’t have to talk. If you want to pass out beads, you can pass out beads.”

Pep Club has also gained the responsibility of organizing the school’s pep assemblies, which was previously a task for Student Council.

“This year we are trying to make the assemblies more peppy and school spirited,” Lehrman said. “We’re trying to have ways to incorporate the whole entire school into them.”

The pep executives are big contributors to the making of the pep assemblies, and with all of their hard work, they have high hopes for the outcome.

“It’s a lot of work,” said sophomore pep executive Brent Smith. “We have to prepare a lot, so it’s going to be cool to see how [the assemblies] end up turning out.”  

Pep Club has also decided to add their own float to the Homecoming parade this year.

“There’s still going to be a senior float, but then instead of individual freshman, sophomore, and junior floats, there is just going to be a pep club float,” Lehrman said.

Lehrman, Meserko and other Pep Club members are encouraging as many students as possible to join.

“We recently had our first meeting this year, and there were about 25 non-executive kids who showed up,” Lehrman said. “I would love to see it at least doubled, like around 50 kids, because it’s open to anyone and everyone. Obviously, the more the merrier.”

Pep Club has been working hard to create a positive and enthusiastic environment at De Soto High School, and feels that they will continue to flourish as an organization.

“I’m most excited that it’s getting taken more seriously and that it’s growing,” Culver said. “We actually have a team, and our teacher sponsors are the best in the school.”