[Intro Music]

 

Emma:

Hi! Welcome back to the Interns’ Chair. I am one of your Ascension Public Schools Information Office High School Interns, Emma. Today, you will get to learn all about the rivalry football game between East Ascension and St. Amant High schools.  

 

FADE IN: [music]

 

Emma:

I would like to begin with a disclaimer - I am an East Ascension high school student and this is my perspective on  one of the biggest football rivalries in Louisiana. I am joined today by St. Amant graduate, Caitlyn.

 

Caitlyn:

Hey y’all! I’m Caitlyn! I’m currently the college intern for the Public Information Office here with Emma. But I’m a St. Amant graduate from 2018 and a former cheerleader at St. Amant. 

 

Emma:

East Ascension has a history of long-standing traditions and one of these is our rivalry with fellow area high school, St. Amant. 


At EA, we devote a whole week to the EA vs STA football game. It is easily one of the biggest games of our season, if only because of the rivalry between our two schools. Gator week is always lots of fun and also quite tiring. How is it for y’all?

 

Caitlyn:

EA Week for us is just amazing, as I’m sure it is for y’all! The atmosphere just can’t be compared. This rivalry week is bigger than homecoming when it comes to participation. At St. Amant, we are allowed to wear orange all week long. So, I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t partake in that. 

 

Emma:

And what is the significance of the orange?

 

Caitlyn:

So, East Ascension wears camouflage because they say they’re going on a Gator hunt. St. Amant wears orange because we say we’re not scared, which is cheesy but everyone really gets into it. It’s really awesome! Our Gator Rally Club at school goes all out decorating the hallways and making posters and just orange everything, everywhere!

 

Emma:

Orange everywhere!

While students participate in activities all week in preparation for the big game on Friday, our biggest events occur on Thursday and Friday. Thursday night is the Shoutout at Lamar Dixon, and on Friday, EA has what’s called Gator Day.

 

[Team Cheer] 

 

The Shoutout is a giant pep rally between EA and STA for the whole community. It is held at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center, and people from all over Ascension Parish come out to support the schools and the community.

 

The two schools sit on opposite sides of the arena and participate in different competitions throughout the night. For example, there is a competition every year to see which school can collect the most canned goods, and the winner is announced at the Shoutout on Thursday.

 

The energy of this night is palpable. Even though we are all in a huge arena, you can’t move around without knocking into someone else. The noise of hundreds of people shouting is a constant vibration in your ears. So how is it to be a cheerleader on this night?

 

Caitlyn:

To be anyone at the Shoutout is just an amazing atmosphere, experience. There is so much school pride! Everyone really comes together, not only students but parents too! Just Gator fans, Spartan fans! As a cheerleader, it’s definitely different! It’s really awesome being in the front of all the shouting and madness that’s going on behind you! Keep in mind, we’re standing in a big pit of dirt, basically! So, we’re trying to show off to the other cheerleaders and throw up our stunts when dirt is flying in our eyes. It’s who can do the better band dance and I’m sure the same goes for the dance teams and the band. Overall, it’s really awesome!

 

Emma:

For sure!

The night comes to a dramatic close with a large spirit competition. The yell leaders from each school climb onto the stage in the front and lead their side in chants. Then, everyone yells -- LOUD! The volume of each school is measured on a decibel meter and the winner is announced. This is grounds for bragging rights until the next year.


[Team Cheer]

 

Friday is always the biggest day of Gator Week at EA. It is actually called Gator Day, and we spend a majority of it getting hyped up for the game that night. 


Every year, our cheerleaders and dance team members stay up late on Thursday night to transform our mall into a swamp. For that day, the East Ascension mall (our main hallway) is covered from floor to ceiling in moss, leaves, and dirt. It is crazy how accurate it always is -- they even somehow duplicate the swampy smell!


The morning of Gator Day is spent Gator hunting! Our faculty hides gator figurines all over campus and come up with riddles to help students find them. This is the one day of the year that a bunch of high school students are absolutely happy to get to school before the sun comes up. 


Everyone dresses head to toe in camouflage and gets to school early to go Gator hunting. If you are lucky enough to find a gator, you can turn it in for a reward in the office. I personally found one my sophomore year and won $40!

 

That afternoon is our school’s pep rally! We have chants, skits, videos, and games that are all based around getting everyone ready to beat STA that night! 


What’s it like at your pep rally?

 

Caitlyn:

Obviously the EA pep rally is the biggest one of the year. It changes every year, but it’s always extravagant. In the past we have the EA game on Halloween one year and that was really awesome. We played games that were Halloween themed we had a glow in the dark pep rally for EA. One year I shaved a teacher’s head at the pep rally, so it can really be anything. But it’s always the biggest and the loudest and the best.  

 

Emma:

At the game, the stands are packed to the brim with students and members of the community alike! Crowd participation always plays a very large role in the outcome of this particular game! Our teams really feed off of the fans. This game is always so intense, for the players as well as the crowd.

 

Caitlyn:

So a really cool fact if you’ve ever been the the EA-St. Amant game, you’ve seen that the ST. Amant players are always wearing orange jerseys. This is something they’ve always done, as far as I know, and they wear orange regardless whether the game is home or away even though that means they take a small penalty when it’s an away game. So that’s something that St. Amant does that’s a little different than EA. As a cheerleader it’s just awesome being their on the field. The amount of, not only students, but fans that are there is insane. People are tailgating like we’re at LSU. It’s just, there’s orange confetti everywhere. You’ll find confetti in your shirt that night, in your bags, everywhere. 

 

Emma:

In the end though, no matter who wins the game, there is no doubt that the rivalry between EA and STA is valued. The rivalry fosters healthy competition. It also gives our community something to support and bond over each year. 

 

I personally love the long-standing tradition of Gator week and all that it represents for our schools and community!

 

And I’m sure you can say the same.

 

Caitlyn:

Of course! 

 

Emma:

This has been Emma, your PIO High School Intern and Host for today. Thank you so much for listening and tune in next time to the Interns’ Chair, but remember, I am just the intern! 

 

FADE IN: [music]