By Ansharah Asif & Cate Meister
Fountain Valley High School’s (FVHS) annual Glow Show was absent from the Bell Week line up this year.
The event’s cancelation stemmed from a decision made in the spring of 2021, according to Associated Student Body (ASB) advisor and English teacher Todd Gruca. Former football head coach Chris Anderson had requested that ASB abandon the nighttime pep-rally tradition for the year.
“Because it’s a football thing, [ASB] said no problem,” Gruca said.
After Anderson resigned in July of 2021, his decision still stood, and ASB made no plans to revive Glow Show. When current head coach David Gutierrez asked ASB about hosting a Glow Show three weeks before 2021 Bell Week, ASB determined that there would not be enough time to plan and assemble a Glow Show.
“We didn’t have enough time between what we did for Homecoming this year and for the postering [of the school for Bell week] and everything else to put on a Glow Show. So we decided to move forward with the pep rally [in place of Glow Show],” Gruca said.
Glow Show, a tradition at FVHS for many years, has become a significant part of Bell Week, designed to support the school’s football team in preparation for their yearly game against rival Edison High School. The event typically features performances from the FVHS dance team and pep squad and has offered food trucks in past years as well. The assembly derives its name from the glow sticks passed out to attendees.
2021 marks an extended gap in the Glow Show’s annual scheduling since its conception in 2012 in addition to the pandemic-related cancelation during the 2020-2021 school year.
Senior jazz lyrical dance team captain Amour Sumagaysay expressed her disappointment with the decision.
“The dance team definitely missed performing this year at the Glow Show because it is one of our major events we get to do before competition season starts. I know everyone gets really excited for it, not only to perform, but seeing all the other students cheering and full of school spirit,” Sumagaysay said.
So what does this mean for upcoming years? Will there be a Glow Show in the foreseeable future?
“I hope there will be a glow show in upcoming years because it seems like everyone enjoyed it in the past years. I know that the dance team not only enjoys performing but the whole experience of [the Glow Show], so it was definitely missed this year,” Sumagaysay said.
Senior football player and ASB executive council member Ivan Benitez speculates that there may be a future for the Glow Show.
“Coach Gutierrez is a big community guy so I definitely see possibility in a Bell Game pep rally in the upcoming years; whether or not it’s a Glow Show, I don’t know,” Benitez said.
Gruca echoed the sentiments of both Benitez and Sumagaysay, noting that Glow Show has potential to serve as a good community event in future years. FVHS Principal Paul Lopez also chimed in on the matter.
“If the kids and community will attend, I say we go for it,” Lopez said.
