The week of Homecoming, arguably, is one of the most memorable parts of the high school experience. Spirit days are followed by a football game, where everyone gathers on the home bleachers as electricity races through the stands, all united by the mutual hope of a win. MBS, however, also throws in their own unique traditions to the mix, like the Kirby Mile and the ringing of the beloved Alumni Bell.

As a freshman, and a new member of the MBS community, these traditions really made me feel connected to the student community. I had the honor of participating in the Kirby Mile this year and it has been one of my favorite memories here at MBS. The feeling of running with my teammates while my friends and other supporters were in the stands is something I will never forget, and I am so excited to repeat next year. Many of my new friends also feel similarly about the excitement of traditions including Emmy Pruitt ‘28, who said that the classic tradition of ringing the bell after the football win was exciting, even though she wasn’t the one ringing the bell. Pruitt said, “I still felt like I was on the field winning right along with them.”

Some people have been experiencing these traditions many times over. Mr. Tahj Valentine ’18 played football throughout his high school years at MBS, winning his homecoming game in both his 9th and 10th grade years. This time around, he steps onto as a coach. As a player stepping through the tunnel on homecoming night, Valentine recalls feeling nervous about the game, because they were playing Hanover Park, and he didn’t want to let his teammates or the school community down. The student section was packed, he remembers, filling the entirety of the bleachers. Valentine also felt incredibly excited as well to play in the game feeding off of the roaring atmosphere of the fans.

Now as the head coach, traditions still pack the same amount of emotional value. The Alumni Bell, in Valentine’s words, “is the most sacred spot on campus.” Ringing the bell as both a player and coach meant so much. This bell is significant to almost every single player or team that has rung that bell. It represents the blood, sweat, and tears that were put into winning. The bell also represents all that have come before who have also put in the same work to get to that moment of hearing the bell ring, and as Valentine put it, there would “not be a community if history wasn’t there.”

So in the end, whether you are a returning player, coach, student, or you are brand new to the school, the Homecoming football game and its traditions creates a bond throughout the MBS community. Cheering for the same reason really welcomes people with open arms, and the ringing of the bell after a win? It creates memories and floods of emotion that last years.