Surprise Pep Rally for Grissom Principal, the State's Top Middle School Principal of the Year

Posted on: Thursday December 8, 2016, 9:18 pm

Posted: Thursday, December 8, 2016 - 9:18pm

It’s pretty hard to keep secrets in a school, especially if you are planning a surprise for the school’s principal! But that’s exactly what Grissom Guardsmen administrators, teachers, staff and students were able to achieve on Thursday, Dec. 8 (2016).

It was all for the benefit of their beloved Principal Mr. Nathan Boyd, who won Indiana’s 2016 Middle School Principal of the Year the end of November. Ever since Mr. Boyd won the state’s top honor, Grissom Assistant Principal Seth Molnar has been busy planning a surprise schoolwide pep rally to celebrate.

A lot went into make the afternoon celebration special, not just for Mr. Boyd but for the students and staff as well. Everything from the giant Mr. Boyd face signs to balloons to Grissom’s Drum Brigade ushering Mr. Boyd into the gym. Mr. Boyd’s family and friends near and far, were invited to attend or send a video message. Mr. Boyd’s childhood friend and his wife even drove in 9+ hours from Washington, DC. Local politicians or their representatives were on hand, along with P-H-M Administrators and Board Members. And local media, and Grissom student reporters, were there to catch it all on camera! (Click here to see a photo gallery from the Pep Rally)

How did Mr. Molnar pull all of this off without Mr. Boyd having a clue?!? Mr. Boyd was called to a “very important” meeting at the ESC, P-H-M’s Administrative Building, which got him out of Grissom for a few hours allowing time for everything to set up in the school gym. When Mr. Boyd returned to school, Mr. Molnar got Mr. Boyd down to the gym by telling him he needed his help catching a squirrel that had gotten into the boy’s locker room … yes, a squirrel!!! But when Mr. Boyd rounded the corner and saw (and heard) the Drum Brigade, all the cameras, and 600+ students, he knew he’d been had! Mr. Boyd was moved to tears by the sincere show of support and pride the entire school and P-H-M community had for Mr. Boyd’s honor. In typical humble and thoughtful Mr. Boyd fashion, he thanked his students and teachers for helping him win the award telling them that they are his motivation and inspiration.