Bellevue West will host Bellevue Public Schools’ Second Annual Unity Rally Thursday, Aug. 31 to celebrate the Bellevue community. The rally includes all elementary, middle and high schools in the district.

“Let’s do something where we aren’t competing,” principal Kevin Rohlfs said. “To send a bigger message that we can be united, we can pull together, we can have a good time and it’s not always about winning and losing. There’s so much of that divisiveness now in the nation, in the world, and it’s an opportunity to say we’re not gonna be part of that.”

The idea of the rally was first proposed last year by Bellevue West as a one-year plan to go with their Year of Unity theme, but the district liked the idea so much that West agreed to host again.

“Our original message or goal is the same for this year,” Rohlfs said. “It’s just to bring our school community together for an evening of just fun and not competitive anything.”

The school has received a lot of help from former elementary school teacher, Garrett Sims, who now holds a district position working with the community.

“He’s kinda been the liaison with the food trucks, to get them lined up,” Rohlfs said. “So, he’s helping with that. We’re organizing the rest of it.”

Food trucks will start serving at 3:50 p.m. and activities in the stadium start at 6:15 p.m. with an opening ceremony that resembles the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Each school was asked to build a mini-float highlighting things that are unique or special to their school for the parade.

Once all the schools have been introduced, the Bellevue West staff will perform in a short flash mob and the parade will end with a dance from the cheer squads and dance teams with an invitation for anyone to join.

“This is just one night where we can get together and remind ourselves that we’re all alike and we can have a good time together,” Rohlfs said.

Those who attended the Unity Rally last year, student and teachers alike, are as equally enthusiastic about another rally as the district.

“I think anything we can do to tie us together as a community is important,” math teacher Cindy Seager said. “And I was very impressed that the school system came together and how much fun it was.”

Not only are they supportive of this upcoming rally, but hope BPS continues to hold more in the future.

“It’s kicking off a unified school district,” Seager said. “We may have our rivalries, but we’re all part of Bellevue regardless, so I hope they continuing doing them yearly. I think that it’s just a good way to kick-off the year and to make all the schools come together.”

Tomorrow night there will be a trailer at Bellevue West High School in front of the football field during the Unity Bellevue Rally from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. These items will be taken down Friday morning to the Houston area and distributed to the shelters. Please feel free to pull and drop off by the trailer!

Items in need:
WATER
Baby diapers
Baby wipes
Bug spray
Women/men toiletries
Women’s feminine products
Bleach
Dog/cat food
Dog/cat leashes
Trash bags
Ziplock bags
Toilet paper
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Band-aids
Antibiotic ointment
Ibuprofen- adult
Tylenol- adult
Tylenol- children’s
Pedialyte