The first assembly all together since the COVID-19 shutdown was on Friday, Sept. 17. Students and staff gathered in the football stadium to build excitement for the upcoming year. 

     Masks required, Tigers walked out to the stadium and sat in the bleachers according to graduating class. Each grade had a banner directing them to their section.

     Leadership teacher Jesse Abell explained why the assembly took place in the stadium versus in the gym.

     “The gym is not possible to have three to six feet of distance, so the district says we can’t do the assembly indoors anywhere,” Abell said.

     He also explained that the assembly had to be shorter this year, as opposed to in the past. 

     “There’s three lunches, there is a certain amount that you can’t shorten classes down, so the assembly had to be shorter so that classes could be long enough to fit a lunch in the middle of one,” Abell said. 

     Because of the cut time allotted, some things couldn’t be featured.

    “Usually we try to get every group that does just about anything involved in the Welcome Back Assembly,” Abell explained. “We get clubs out there; we get all the fall sports; we recognize everything that’s going on at Tigard, but we didn’t have enough time to do all that this year.” 

     Although students didn’t get to see all the usual speakers, events, or clubs that they have in the past, they were able to hear the National Anthem performed by Choralation, saw a dance from the Tigerettes, and learned some cheers to do at the football game from the cheer team. No one could forget the pie eating contest, where two students challenged science teacher Mr. Jarman, who successfully took the victory. 

     Leadership student and ASB Assemblies member, junior Sarah Berg, explained why they chose to do it out in the stadium to keep everyone safe, while following the district’s rules, yet she did have some concerns.  

     “My only concerns when it came to having the assembly in the stadium versus the gym was that the sound system wouldn’t work and it would take too long to get people out in the stadium, but neither of those things seemed to be an issue!” Berg explained. 

     There was always the option of having a virtual assembly. Berg explained that the downside of having the assembly virtually was that we would not all be together, deciding that it would be out in the football stadium. 

     Tigerettes member, junior Kayla Kumm was excited about getting back with her team and dancing at the assembly. 

     “It felt so good performing for people instead of screens,” Kumm said. “I was just as nervous as always, but once I started dancing I forgot!” 

     Junior Emma Fordice talked about what her favorite part of the assembly was.

     “The hype and energy people had, they were having fun,” Fordice said, “It felt more open and there was more space.” 

     Junior Mercedes Harms shared how she felt about the assembly in the stadium. 

     “I thought having the assembly outside was nice; obviously, we live in Oregon so it might not always be the best option, but mixing it up was cool,” Harms said. 

     Juniors Elena Golniakan and Aishiki Nag, along with Senior Abby Fordice all touched on the fact that they liked the assembly in the stadium because we were all together and not split into two sides of the gym. They also preferred it outside because it was much cooler and not as stuffy as in the gym. 

     Junior Ryder Thompson also preferred it outside in the stadium because of all the Covid concerns.