By JESSA PEASE / Staff Writer

SHELBY— For the first time at Shelby Elementary School, Shelby County High School’s senior football players and cheerleaders visited the students for a pep rally Oct. 16.

It was spirit day at the school, and it all led up to SCHS’s annual homecoming parade in Columbiana. Shelby Elementary principal Stacy Aderholt said the kids enjoyed the entire day.

“We just thought we would make it more meaningful for them to meet some of the football players and cheerleaders,” she said. “They had the best time. They were so excited. It was a great event and we hope we can do it every year.”

Although the elementary school has participated in the parade every year, Aderholt said they were trying to find a way to get the students more excited about the football game.

One teacher’s daughter was on the high school cheerleading team, and the idea for the pep rally formed.

Aderholt said the older students gave the younger ones something to look forward to and to work toward for the future. The visiting students signed autographs and gave the younger kids advice, such as listening to their parents, being healthy and staying away from drugs.

“It was very meaningful for the younger students to hear people they look up to on the football field telling them to say no to drugs,” Aderholt said.

Many of the high school students went through Shelby Elementary when they were young, so Aderholt said it was good to see them doing so well.

It was also a good opportunity for the young athletes to meet the high school players, Aderholt said. Many of the elementary school kids are in youth league sports with hopes to play in high school.

“It’s very rewarding to see their eyes light up when they had the opportunity to talk to the football players, especially the ones in the youth league,” Aderholt said. “It’s like those kids are living their dreams.”

After the pep rally, the students joined in the parade. Shelby’s theme was the ‘50s and the students hung a banner that said, “The future is ours,” on the side of the fire truck they rode on.

“They are very proud to represent our school,” Aderholt said.