United It Can Happen

My youngest son is in high school. I know...so many of you can not believe that I have a son that old....nor that it could be my youngest!  I always jest I was a child bride.  A few years back, the division that oversees high school athletic events in Oregon made some pretty strict rules about how fans could cheer.  These rules came mostly because the cheering was heading down the path of being very pointedly negative. It was hard for the kids to get into the groove of showing support for their teams within the new rules.....rules that became more strict as our society tried to get some sort of control to stop the terrible consequences of bullying across America.  Early on, many a night we went to basketball games with only a handful of student fans in attendance.

The high school administration met with a group of kids, at the high school where my son attends, to help develop some school spirit within the OSAA guidelines.  Over the past two years the kids involved have gotten quite creative: forming a group called the Rowdy Dowds.  In my cave-girl day we were the pep club.....now it is a cool, hip Rowdy Dowd club.  And they do stuff like this......

This is my son...who shaved his head and put on old man clothes and a mustache  for "senior citizen day"....a Rowdy Dowd event for a volleyball game.  The Rowdy Dowds left the volleyball game to go support the JV football game....parading across the field at half time.  Many parents at the football game had no clue who the old folk wanna be's were until the very end! 

Every game...win or loose...this group of kids did crazy spirit filled stuff....like Jersey Shore Night:

Our local newspaper put on a competition to see who could make the most spirit filled video.  The stakes are high....$500 to the group of the winner's choice as well as $500 to the winner.  My son and his friends made a video.....and dedicated the total sum $1000 to keep spirit alive at South Salem High School! 

Personally, I am very proud of these kids.  They have made a unique, fun experience within the rules that others struggled to follow.  I am not saying they don't skate the line sometimes but they sure are having a lot of fun doing it!

If you want...you too can help them by going to this web site ROWDY DOWDS HOMECOMING VIDEO VOTE and click "like".  I think you need a facebook account to vote.....

I feel so blessed to be a part of the fringe of this really special group of kids.  They are doing such positive things in a day and age where it seems that so much focus is on the negative side of teenagers.   Join with me in giving support back to them......

Seize the Day!