The gym buzzed with anticipation as students sat in the bleachers, chatting over the suspense and silence in the air. In the shadows, the future Master of Ceremonies adjusted their microphone and prepared to captivate the crowd for the first time.
The new MCs for the upcoming school year, Jordyn Dyer ‘25 and Noah Stead ‘25, were announced and debuted during the WHS final rally on May 31.
Typically, MCs hold ceremonies and performances, but their responsibilities extend further at WHS. They host rallies, make morning and fourth–period announcements, manage lunchtime fairs and activities and keep the spirit up around the WHS campus.
“I’m excited, but we have a lot of tasks,” said future 2024–‘25 MC Dyer. “I’m not too stressed about it because, between the two of us, I think we will be able to balance out the amount of work.”
To become an MC, prospective students undergo a rigorous selection process; they must attend an interest meeting, complete paperwork detailing their past service work, fill out a student government application and participate in an in-person interview.
“[The interviewing committee] evaluates the interviewee and decides whether they think they are committed or not,” said the 2023–‘24 MC Sydney Siegel ‘24. “It is a long process to make sure the best MC is elected.”
During the in–person interview, with a chosen co–MC, two candidates complete tasks with each other to show their chemistry and prove that they will be a good fit. Along with advisors and the current MCs, ASG members also judge and take notes on candidates to get the whole student government’s opinions.
“We collectively decide if we think they were good or not,” said Siegel. “Once we make a decision they are sent an email announcing if they got the position.”
Once chosen, the identity of the new MCs is kept secret until the finale rally. They are trained by the outgoing MCs for a week before their debut and introduced to all their new responsibilities as discretely as possible.
“It was kind of weird,” said 2024–‘25 MC Stead. “Once we knew we were selected as the upcoming MCs, we weren’t able to tell anyone. Only us, the past MCs, the ASG board, and the two advisors knew, and that was it.”
Traditionally, the introduction of the incoming MCs includes a ceremonial “battle” where they symbolically fight off the outgoing MCs. However, the introduction this year was different from the previous “battle” approach.
“Big things are coming. You do not want to miss the final rally,” said Siegel before the rally. “It should be really exciting since we have fun games and announcements planned.”
At the rally, the two new MCs were announced and brought to the center of the gymnasium where they performed a handshake to officially begin their roles. They then completed a five–question, multiple–choice test and located WHS adjacent objects within the crowd to ceremonially earn their positions. Following their introduction, they led the crowd in the tribe chant and announced the rally’s winners.
“I’m excited to be an MC,” said Stead. “It’s always something I have looked forward to being for the past three years.”
