This year, due to a lack of interest from the seniors, the variety show was canceled. Normally, the show is held for two performances before students go on Thanksgiving break.

 “It’s a shame that it was canceled,” said senior Katelyn Patrick. “All of us involved had some great ideas.”

Mandatory meetings were held in Show Director Ms. Hayley Howe’s room during junior/senior lunches to help get the show together.

While the first mandatory meeting had a large turnout, the volume of students quickly fell to less than 20.

“I personally did what I could and can attest for about 15 others who did a hardworking and solid job coming in every day and doing their work,” Senior Class President Garrett Phillips said. “But 15 of us could not make up for a show.”

Senior Class Moderator Larry Hensley said,  “I think that for a solid month there were a good core of people who were committed to the purpose of [the variety show], this being the main fund-raiser for their class.”

As a last hope of getting more students involved, the senior class gathered for a meeting during an advisory mod to encourage more students to participate.

While administrators such as Mr. Hensley and Mr. Jake Hollin spoke to seniors, and one more emergency rehearsal was held, the show did not have enough participation to go through.

“The class was not willing to commit,” Mr. Hensley said. “Or, in their defense, they were not able to commit due to the amount of responsibility the students have.”

Many seniors hold one or two jobs that require most of their after-school time and weekends, so it was hard for many students to come to rehearsals. After a committee of students were told the show was definitely going to be canceled, many students then picked up shifts, taking away a large number of seniors who originally committed to help in some form.

“When the last minute meeting was called, I found myself still wanting to help with the show, but I had told my boss I would work [during the times of the show]; therefore, I was unable to [help out],” senior Ellie Bruggeman said.

“When we had our lunch meeting in the Brown Room, there were about 40 or 50 people who showed up and wanted to do it, but when we started to break down the time commitments, then that’s when people [could no longer participate],” Mr. Hensley said.

However, the meeting was discouraging to some seniors.

“We were basically just guilt-tripped into wanting to do the show,” Ellie said.

In an email later sent to a committee of students, Ms. Howe wrote, “Despite the last minute push yesterday, we don’t have enough committed seniors or polished skits to see this production through by Tuesday night. We want to thank you for dedicating so much of your time and effort for your class.”

“The Senior Variety Show is a tradition that is typically the largest fund-raiser for the senior class,” Garrett said. “It is upsetting and a shame that it will not be happening this year.”

Several students were frustrated by the whole situation in general.

“I thought the show was poorly advertised to the students.” Ellie said. “It was unclear to me and to many others that it would be the only fund-raiser possible to us as a senior class.”

Although some students were upset, there was also an understanding among them.

“I understand that this time of year is very busy for everyone,” Katelyn said. “It’s still a shame that we couldn’t pull it off, though.”

“I want to say sorry to the people we let down who were excited to come see the show,” Garrett said. “But at the end of the day, if we do not have a senior class who does not want to participate, then we cannot have a show.”

“I do not think that it represents the class’s intentions or the class’s tone,” Mr. Hensley said. “I don’t want people to think that they’re a terrible class because they couldn’t put on a show.”