As the clock strikes 12:11 p.m., the first lunch bell goes off at Bonita Vista Middle (BVM). Music blasts on the stage, while eager middle schoolers fill the quad, looking to see the commotion happening on their campus.

On Oct. 6, an array of Bonita Vista High (BVH) students took a trip to BVM as a part of Future Baron Day. Future Baron Day consisted of ASB students, football players, band and Varsity Cheer showing BVM students the spirit of BVH.

“We’re developing an arm to bring them into the culture that we have here [at BVH]. If you have a chance to see the culture, the pride and what we are, that makes you want to be a part of something. We want to show them that there’s something to be a part of [at BVH],” Club Blue director Mark McCann said.

According to Assistant Principal of Activities Coordinator Patricia Perez, BVH’s ASB started to prepare for Future Baron Day before fall break started. They worked with the BVM’s ASB to find teachers to supervise the event, along with coordinating the BVM custodians to help set up the event.

“The [BVM] ASB is a lot smaller than ours, but they’re sweet, their principal’s so nice. They’re really helpful, so it was great,” ASB president and senior Jalieah Ruiz said.

In preparing for the event, there were many factors that came into play. BVH students had to fill out permission slips to participate, as they would be leaving campus from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Furthermore, the ASB had to organize their bus rides to bring ASB kids, band students, football players and cheerleaders. Additionally, BVH ASB students had to bring decorations, Baron gear and crowns to hand out to the middle schoolers.

Perez mentions how another Future Baron Day happens during the spring at BVH, where BVM students visit BVH for Welcome to the Kingdom. Future Baron Day is the first time this school year where BVH students visit BVM to show school spirit. This being the first of two visits, Ruiz had low expectations and anticipated a “harsh crowd.” During the actual event. However, she was caught off-guard by the amount of energy the students had.

“I was really happy to get them interactive and going. They were really interacting, which was surprising. I think they liked the Baron merch the most. It felt like we were finally breaking that, ‘I’m too cool to have school spirit,’ so it’s always nice to see kids happy to participate,” Ruiz said.

ASB spirit commissioner, cheerleader and junior Alania Chavez both organized and participated in the pep rally at the middle school. She mentioned that it was difficult to plan around BVM’s split lunches because they had to perform twice. She wanted to make sure that both seventh and eighth graders got the same experience.

“I definitely have to say our cheer performance [was memorable]. I think a lot of people got excited, especially the cheer girls that were in the middle school team. [The BVM cheer team] look super supportive and excited to see what they’d be doing next year,” Chavez said.

For one of the cheer performances, the team danced to the BVH’s Fight Song. Band played a role in making the event more cheerful and exciting with their upbeat tunes. At the same time, it gave BVM students a teaser of what band had to offer.

“For our current band students at the middle school, it’s their chance to see what’s available to them the following year. It’s always really exciting watching the high schoolers play for middle schoolers. It’s really fun watching middle schoolers have that moment of realizing how cool it is to make music,” McCann said.

football players were invited to Future Baron Day to help boost school spirit and to promote their football game at Southwestern’s College DeVore stadium. Athletics Director and head football coach Tyler Arciaga, brought novice, junior varsity and varsity players to attend the event and talk to the students at the middle school to best represent the football team.“I think they [the football team] enjoyed the experience. A lot of times, those are the kids that people look up to, [along with] the band members, cheerleaders and ASB kids,” Arciaga said.

For the middle school students, this was a first-time experience and they were unsure of what to expect. Eighth grader Aubrey Campell, was excited to see her freshman friends and what was to come from Future Baron Day.“I thought it was pretty fun. I like getting to see other cheerleaders do their stunts. I think definitely, this made me want to go to Bonita more,” Campbell said.

Perez states that the overall highlight of the event was seeing BVM students excited to see cheer and band performances and interact with BVH’s ASB and football players. She mentions that Future Baron Day was a great way to build relationships and interact with the middle school students.

“Future Baron Day, I feel is very important. As of now, [we’re showing] that we care about them, that we’re welcoming them and that we look forward to having them,” Perez said. “I think it’s important for the staff, administration, students and parents to know that we look forward to having you. We love you, we remember you, we think of you and we’re ready for you.”