Hannah Kemp, a senior at Tonganoxie High School, felt as if her classmates could be even more involved in their school.

“Students were talking about starting a pep club last spring and I knew someone had to take the initiative and actually do it,” she said.

With the ideas of her classmates in mind, Kemp convinced THS principal Jamie Carlisle that the pep club “Big Red” could become a great organization for the school.

“Big Red is meant to boost school spirit and help regain the morale that the student body seemed to have lost somewhere along the road,” she said.

Not being able to handle everything on her own, Kemp sought out her sister’s help. Glad to help her younger sister, Tara George soon became the sponsor of “Big Red.” George joined the THS faculty this fall, and being the previous sponsor of Bonner’s pep club, Orange Crush, she had many tips for Big Red to become a success. The pair of sisters created T-shirts for the club, the classic “T” on the front, yet a bit different.

Asked why the logo had a mustache and monocle, Kemp said she thought it would be a fun twist on the school logo.

“Mustaches seem to be popular lately,” she said.

It’s only October, and Big Red is already making an impact. On Sept. 7, at the first home football game, many of the pep club members gathered in the school parking lot for tailgating. The students appeared an hour and a half before the game started, expressing their support. When it came time for the game to start, all of the members came together to walk the field and formed a human tunnel for the football team. The group has gone to several other THS sporting events.

­ — Alysia Gonzales, a Tonganoxie High School senior, is serving as an intern this school year at The Mirror.