Elk Grove HS will party Friday morning
Who needs Friday Dance Parties? At Elk Grove High School, students started dancing on Wednesday in between class periods.
That’s when they learned they will be featured as the Prep Destination of the Week during Friday’s NBC 5 News Today telecast. The show will highlight their game against conference rival, Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, and their school spirit.
“Life is crazy here and it has been all day,” said Principal Nancy Holman.
Elk Grove’s fans cast 4,846 votes on Facebook and narrowly won the party over South suburban St. Rita High School. Evanston Township High School was a distant third.
With NBC’s film crew scheduled to arrive in Elk Grove as early as 5:30 a.m., it makes for an early morning tailgate for Grenadiers fans — and a chance to officially let the Friday Dance Party begin.
“The kids are all fired up,” Holman adds.
Holman says winning the game of the week honors reflects their active spirit group, GrenNation. Its student leaders coordinate positive activities that showcase the school’s values, including feeling connected, responsible and respectful.
She expects them to be out in full force on Friday, dressed in their green and gold spirit colors during the live news feeds from Elk Grove’s gym during the 6-7 a.m. portion of the morning show.
Voting results were announced Wednesday on NBC 5’s Facebook page, and they will be shared again on this morning’s NBC 5 News show, but word leaked out early among Elk Grove students and fans.
“This may be our most exciting start to our school year in a decade,” Holman said.
She said the excitement goes beyond the football team’s 6-1 record, and extends to their ability to overcome adversity. After the team’s quarterback, Dejan Basara, went down with a broken collarbone, they called upon sophomore Adam O’Malley.
He led the team to a comeback victory over rival, Prospect High School and will make his third start on Friday.
“A change like that could have crushed us, but the whole team has become stronger,” Holman says, “and the entire school has rallied behind them.”
On top of that, head Coach Brian Doll was named the Chicago Bears High School Coach of the Week.
Look for that indomitable spirit to be on full display, bright and early on Friday.