The closeout of summer is countered with the excitement of coming together with friends and celebrating a new year full of new opportunities, and as importantly… a new football season! A little piece of gym floor tradition found its way to HarborWalk Village, Saturday, August 20th, during Hype on the Harbor: A Community Pep Rally!
Students, friends, family, and proud supporters grabbed their pom poms, megaphones, and styrofoam fingers in honor of their favorite student, team, mascot, and high school! This event, brought to you by the Okaloosa County School District, featured local high school students, teams, coaches, and MORE – each with 25 minutes of spotlight on the main stage to get LOUD and hype up the Harbor with their team spirit! Participants of the first annual Hype on the Harbor included Destin High School, Fort Walton Beach High School, Choctawhatchee High School, Niceville High School, and Crestview High School.
“Our community is an integral part of the Okaloosa County School District. Hype on the Harbor is an excellent opportunity for everyone in Okaloosa to come out and see the students they support. It is also a chance for our high school students to come together and celebrate the start of the school year while sharing their school spirit. I appreciate HarborWalk for hosting this fun event and know our students will put on a great show!” said Okaloosa County School District Superintendent Chambers.
“This pep rally is an opportunity for us, as a community, to show pride in our local students and thank the Okaloosa County School District for their continued support. We send best wishes to each student as they begin a new school year,” said HarborWalk Village VP of Sales and Marketing, Brittany Byrd.
Onlookers chanted along to their favorite fight song performed by the band and listened in as coaches expressed their motivation for the upcoming football season. The ultimate battle royale took place during a spirited challenge among schools. In true tailgate fashion, on-site restaurants were grilling out and serving up some favorite pep rally cravings.
You couldn’t miss the roar rising through the Harbor streets! The event concluded with a blessing of the school year ahead and best wishes to the school district.
