What does it mean to be a Viking? Being a Viking is not just wearing school colors and cheering on your peers at sporting events.  Being a Viking looks like Friday Night Lights. Somewhere I was able to easily connect with others and build friendships was at football games. Wherever the Viks travelled… we were right behind, ready to cheer them on. Friends would carpool away games and show up early to set up decorations for home games.  Our high school football games brought us together. We wanted to show up to have a blast, to represent Puyallup with an incredible school spirit. It was so special to be able to see our community—Viking’s past, present and future—come together to cheer for the success of their peers, creating memories I will never forget. 

Being a Viking sounds like class cheers, pep assemblies and the annual lip dub. A few students and teachers are selected and paired up to be in the lip dub as singers and/or dancers. Leadership students create a playlist of trending songs and each pair of student’s lip syncs to one of the songs whilst being filmed walking through the school. Students that were not selected as the main singers and/or dancers line the hallways to cheer and throw confetti while the camera passes by.  

Being a Viking feels like connecting with your community to help those in need. Winter Wishes is what many look forward to most during the holiday season. It has been a tradition at Puyallup for 11 years. Students and teachers can submit a wish for someone they think needs a little extra love, then the Leadership class goes shopping to collect all the gifts that get handed out the day before Winter Break. It is so heartwarming to see the community donate items for all the students and families in need. It is also a stressful process for the Leadership class, but it is so rewarding to see the smile on someone’s face, realizing it was all worth it.  

Being a Viking is so much more than just showing up to school or wearing purple and gold. My time at Puyallup has taught me the true meaning of friendship and acceptance. I have learned that it is about coming together as a community to support one another and continue historic traditions. It means you take pride in everything you do, representing Puyallup at the highest standard possible. It’s showing up to support your peers, volunteering to help your community, being kind to everyone you meet and being proud to be a Viking.