The end of the school year rally marks the beginning of a series of senior farewells. While the rally welcomes students from grades 9-12, it has always been a commemoration of CdM’s graduating class, this year was no different.

What started as a decades theme soon evolved into a ‘Back to the Future’ theme that had the crowd reminiscing the past. Opening the rally was a video featuring Claire Eusey and Conrad Olivier-Meier in the final performance as CdM’s rally commissioners. The video instituted the theme as it portrayed Eusey and Olivier-Meier walking onto campus and wanting to go back and relive high school when Emmet Eilers supplies them with a time machine. Having been faulty, instead of taking the two back to 2018, they were sent back to 1957. This led to the very first performance of the night, CdM Sparkle. The team was dressed in classic 50s diner attire and performed with such enthusiasm the crowd was practically beaming with delight.

Following Sparkle was CdM’s Drumline team which took us to 1991 and featured a video of the team break dancing to some of the 90s best hits. Despite the absence of their usual live dance, the focus on their batterie was refreshing and a performance that, as always, did not disappoint.

Leading into the 1970s, a video depicts Eusey and Olivier-Meier as they use the time machine to stumble into 1946 where they are forced to desert a World War ll war site. Afterward, CdM cheer represented the era of disco with a retro-style performance featuring a series of well-choreographed stunts which added to the magnitude of the performance.

CdM’s Vocal Music department proceeded to stun the audience with their rendering of 2002 classic ‘Toxic’ by Britney Spears. Their voices provoked silence throughout the gym and left the audience in awe.

The final video to propel the ‘Back to the Future’ storyline was a crowd favorite that set Eusey and Olivier-Meier in 2084 where Mr.Hill was Olivier-Meier’s future self. This left the audience roaring with laughter before the Orchesis team took to the stage. Sporting a sleek futuristic look, they stunned the crowd as they ended the rally’s performances with a glow-in-the-dark performance.

As per tradition, the rally was closed with a sea king farewell video narrated by senior Emily Valentine. Featuring students’ “always a sea king” compilation and heartfelt goodbyes from several CdM teachers including Mr.Kennedy, Mrs.Jones, and Ms.Burgess, students were close to tears. At the end of the video heads of ASB’s tech committee, Pierce Hemphill and Natalie Moorhead signed off on their final rally video and Eusey and Olivier-Meier passed over their mics to conclude their final rally performance. For many of the senior performers, this final rally is one they will remember far past graduation.