This is the day we had been waiting for since September. The panther class was holding each other's sweaty, shaky hands, anticipating the results of something we had been working on so tirelessly all year long. It was Gym Day, the biggest day of the whole school year. Each class had put its heart and soul into not only completing two hundred and forty costumes for each girl for Spirit Day, but also creating a skit, a set, and character costumes for their Gym Day. The skits were completed, faculty games were over, and the results were in.

Board is considered the designers of the whole year. Board is my team, my team of women who fight for ideas and love to amaze our grade. Our panther class was our motivation for everything. Mrs. Gerrets guided us to become the best we could be. Our Gym Day skit was revised four different times just so we knew it was perfect. Do not even get me started with our set for Gym Day: board was dedicated to those pieces of work. We took so many of our finished sets and trashed them because they were not good enough. We were coming to win; to make our panthers proud, but especially to make Mrs. Gerrets proud.

Practices for Gym Day began for each class, and the juniors were ready to work. First, board introduced our stand ques. The class never really falls in love with the ques until they are performed perfectly. So we began: stand, sit slap, stand, sit, slap. Mrs. Gerrets screamed the commands like a dictator. Our legs were throbing, but we did not care: we were there to win. Finally, we ran the ques with the skit, which was also moving just beautifully with the help of our talented actresses. A miracle had happened, and our class had perfected them like never before, each word and stand, sit, slap. Now, it was time to win.

It was finally here; Gym Day. Each student anxiously sat through the whole mass that was prepared in honor of Gym Day. There was excitement in the air, emotions were going crazy, and everyone was ecstatic to see the senior dance. Gym Day went in this order: volleyball, skit, faculty follies, and awards. As juniors, volleyball was definitely not our main priority, so of course, Mrs. Gerrets was not angry that we totally bombed the games. Gripping to our seats, Hannah picked a number out of Mr. Carrau’s hand. Finally looking up at us, we were overjoyed to find out that we would be performing our skit routine last. At last, our time came to perform. Ten minutes were on the clock, and Mrs. Gerrets gave the sign to begin. The girls’ performances in the skit were incredible, sets looked as crisp and clean as ever, and stands were jaw-dropping. We knew we had done something special when Mrs. Gerrets sat back in her chair, looked at our board, and just nodded her head and smiled. Her body language said everything, and board was feeling on top of the world.

When Sister stood up, we knew it was time. From that point forward all I felt for the next fifteen minutes was Claire Klein’s profusely sweating hands in mine. Sister began to announce all the silly awards that grades cherish, but we all know which awards we really wanted to hear about. First, “the runner of Spirit Day goes to…. THE JUNIORS!” I have never seen a group of girls scream so loud in my entire life. The juniors were live as we awaited the results of Gym Day. The person who wins skit is basically the person who wins the entire Gym Day. Finally, sister begins to speak, “and the winner of skit is …. THE JUNIORS!” Not only did I feel my eardrums burst, but I felt the tears of joy roll down my face as I realized that I was apart of the team and the grade that accomplished this great honor. A junior class who won not only Spirit Day, but also Gym Day. Let us just say that Mrs. Gerrets will never forget our Panther class of 2018, and the pride we shared for each other and everything we do. I do not think we have ever made anyone more proud than her.