Administrators and teachers at Jemison Intermediate School were looking for a way to help motivate their students ahead of a week of state testing set to begin on April 8.

The group decided to host a pep rally on April 5 in order to let the students have some fun and help motivate them ahead of the weeklong testing.

Special education teacher Julie Lawrence and others helped put the event together.

“To help get the kids motivated for our state testing next week (at the time), we are having a pep rally,” Lawrence said. “We have some of the Jemison High School pep band, dance team, majorettes, color guard and cheerleaders here.”

JIS principal D.J. Nix said a few words of encouragement to the gathered students before the fun began.

“We know we can get you guys fired up for this test next week,” he said. “Last year, we did well, but this year, we’re going to bring our best.”

Physical education teacher Anthony Roshon emceed the event, including walking ahead of the crowd of gathered students and bidding them to make some noise while channeling former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan.

A group of teachers performed a cheer for the students about getting their brains working before the testing, and the JHS students performed for their younger counterparts.

Other fun activities were included in the event, such as a limbo that pitted members of each grade against their peers while using batons held by JHS band members as the bar.

“We wanted to help the kids see it’s not just about coming to learn and sit in a desk, it’s about having fun and getting motivated,” Lawrence said. “We will motivate our kids any way we can.”

This is the first event of its kind held before these tests at JIS. Lawrence said many different individuals worked to put on the pep rally for the students.

“This is a new thing — it’s our first year doing it,” she said. “We hope that through having something fun and motivating, showing the teachers really care about how well they do on their test, that (the students) will try extra hard.”