The Pleasant Valley Stadium is packed with excited students, parents, friends, and athletes on a Friday night. The fight song begins, and everyone in the stadium stands up to happily clap along to the song while the band plays, the cheerleaders cheer, and Platinum dances. But what does the fight song mean to the students and staff of Pleasant Valley?

The United States portrayed a lot of national pride at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games while in Rio, but back here people had a different experience with the song representing our nation. According to CNN, San Francisco 49er quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, sat in protest of the national anthem during a pre-season NFL game. His belief basis around this statement, “I will not show pride in a flag or country that oppresses black people and people of color,” after recent events of police brutality leading to deaths among the African-American community.

Across the world, Today reported United States of America pole vaulter and second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve, Sam Kendrick, halted during a practice run at the Olympic Games in Rio. He stood at attention to honor the U.S.A.’s national anthem.

While the Star Spangled Banner is the fight song of the United States, Pleasant Valley has its own song to stand and cheer to. Just as the National Anthem embodies all laws, rules that the U.S. follows, D’Anne Kroemer, PV Athletic Director, says, “The fight song represents the spartan pride students cheer for, and the philosophy: PV is Committed to Excellence.”

D’Anne Kroemer, PV Athletic Director, says, “Every student shows their pride in different ways, but the most important thing is that the fight song unites the students.” There is no doubt pep rallies, assemblies, and football games at Pleasant Valley High School are lively and spirited.

According to Varsity Cheerleader, Maci Noack, senior, school spirit is geared not just towards sports, but also towards, “All the other amazing things students do here.” The fight song represents all of PV, and every idea the school district is committed to. Noack also added, “The fight song brings the whole student body together to show spirit, and support everyone.”

There’s no doubt the students, parents, and friends who clap and smile as the fight song is played uplift the spirits of athletes, students, and the entire community. The song can be viewed from different perspectives including simplistic views on spartan spirit or can hold a deeper or different meaning for each student at Pleasant Valley.

While the national anthem and the Pleasant Valley fight song differ in many ways, the common idea they share is uniting a group of people. The national anthem celebrates the freedom the United States received, and the fight song celebrates Pleasant Valley and the commitment to being a school worth fighting and winning for.