Inspired by previous renditions of the event, the Renaissance Rally will make its debut at MECA on Jan. 16, boasting the same excitement of class competitions, with a blend of academic appreciation sandwiched in between.

MECA students will receive an extended lunch on the day of the rally, which will be hosted in the MPR. A portion of the lunch period will be designated for the rally. Attendance is mandatory as the event is to celebrate student achievements. 

What is a Renaissance Rally?

Growing far beyond a suggestion, the idea of a Renaissance Rally has become something to look forward to.

MECA’s last Renaissance Rally was five years ago. Gabe Nichols, ASB adviser, had never considered reintroducing the rallies until it was recommended by Courtney Bell. 

“Five years ago, we had an academic award… and [Bell] mentioned ‘oh, we should bring that back’” explained Nichols. 

Nichols said, “We wanted to recognize students kind of objectively over their accomplishments.”

Simply, several categories of recognition were proposed. From attendance to grades, Nichols aims to acknowledge all those who set themselves towards the path of excellent performance and success.

“[To the] students who force themselves here and force themselves to learn. We want to recognize that.” Nichols said.

In part, MECA’s students have done their job to provide a long-reaching list of candidates who meet the criteria to a tee.

“And so now we have to print out hundreds of certificates and acknowledge lots of students, which is a wonderful thing to do,” Nichols said, “But when I was scrolling through…I’m like, oh my god.”

Despite the workload, Nichols expresses his excitement for the rally, noting the countless names of exemplary students in line for awards.

In spite of this, he recognized the needs of attendees in regards to more hands-on contests—namely the games reserved for class competitions.

Having replaced one of three class comps for this semester, Nichols offered a different solution: “We kind of want to marry Renaissance and class competition together.”

“We just have to get in there and start playing games. We want to do some activities… so we have a couple of surprises for students,” Nichols said. 

Students will have the opportunity to participate in some of the events taking place during the rally,  similar to class competitions.

Taking inspiration from previous years, Nichols sought to build on the event, intertwining the fast-paced action of class competitions between several renditions of smaller set award ceremonies.

Nichols hopes that rallies like this can create exposure to these achievements, as he explained he wants students to have the mindset of,  “You know what? I kind of want to work for that as well.” 

MECA students have lots to look forward to in this upcoming event. The true question is: Will you be receiving an award?