BY MATT SIMPSON

Friday is the day of the Crosstown Classic, the high school football game between Oxford and Lafayette. Friday is also Sept. 11, the 14th anniversary of the tragic day the Twin Towers collapsed. Since these two occasions fall on the same day, Oxford’s pep rally will be a little different.

Principal Bradley Roberson wants to take some time to honor emergency personnel in Oxford—firemen, policemen, doctors, etc.— at the pep rally.

“As part of LYP, we need to thank the people who protect us everyday,” Roberson said.

The first half of the pep rally will be used to recognize the emergency teams.  Every student will receive a small American Flag in the gym. ROTC will present the colors, and the Women’s Ensemble will sing the National Anthem.

Roberson plans to get as many of Oxford’s first responders as possible into the gym, so that Oxford High School students may recognize them.

“I think that’s great because they do a lot for our community and help us out,” freshman Cassidy Card said.

Students are more than happy to take time to pay tribute to Oxford’s emergency personnel.

Senior Logan Surber said, “Honoring people who lay their lives down for simple people is really just an amazing thing.”

After honoring the emergency teams, the second half will be a normal pep rally to pump everybody up for the big game.