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Something To Cheer About

CANDACE C. MUNDY/TAMPA TRIBUNE

Lynn McDonald (#2 in white jersey), a junior, runs the ball as Brianna Knott (#24 in red jersey), a freshman, moves in for a tackle.

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 13, 2007

Updated: 10/11/2007 08:11 pm

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LAKE MAGDALENE - Students wore their pajamas to class with no repercussions. Spirit towels started selling at the school store. The first semi-formal dance arrived.

Homecoming came home to Carrollwood Day School this year.

The private school opened more than two decades ago but started its high school, CDS Prep, last year when it moved to its new home in Lake Magdalene.

It had about 40 freshmen and sophomores, temporary quarters and developing school spirit. Its six-man football team played a homecoming game last fall with a few events, including a powder-puff football game and a '70s dress-up day, but not much else.

This year, the CDS Prep students added events to create a full week of homecoming activities, allowing the new school to participate in the traditions other high schools have followed for years. Themed dress-up days, pep rallies, a dance and girls' football and boys' volleyball games drummed up school spirit before the football game between Carrollwood and Lighthouse Christian.

The activities helped get students more pumped about the school and the game, said Becca Sadtler, who played in the powder-puff football game last week. She stood on the sidelines during the game, waiting to go back in, with 'Juniors' and '2009' painted on her face.

'This year it's a lot more involved,' said Sadtler, 16.

CDS Prep welcomed about 20 additional students this August and now has a ninth, 10th and 11th grade. More students are expected next year, and the first senior class will graduate in May 2009.

A permanent classroom building opened near the existing structure where the elementary and middle school children attend. An administration wing unveiled the school store, stocked with CDS Prep goods, from hair bows in the school colors to small towels to twirl as sports teams played.

The administration knew when it opened the high school that it wanted a college-level International Baccalaureate program. But a school's personality comes from its students and traditions.

The nine-member student council worked from the moment it was elected to make homecoming happen. Junior Amy Uhl said council members took the best ideas from last year and added more.

'We're definitely getting excited about it,' she said.

The traditions will be important to have in place for next year, Uhl said, when the juniors become CDS Prep's first senior class.

Jim Morgan, humanities teacher and student council adviser, said homecoming was the burning issue facing the council members. They had to get organized fast and wound up planning everything in about four weeks. Students jumped into activities, and the ones who didn't have anything to do came up with their own plans, such as the group of boys who donned skirts to cheer during halftime of the powder-puff game.

Working together helped to unify the classes, Morgan said. Some of the students knew each other from attending Carrollwood Day School when they were younger. Others arrived from different schools.

'If you just teach and you just learn and you just sit in the classroom all day, you're not really getting a well-rounded education,' Morgan said. 'They still need time to be kids. They're just bigger kids.'

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503 or cpastor@tampatrib.com.

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