Excited students fill the stands, ready to watch a football atmosphere in the student section. Junior Kahler Wiebe looks around for other Hype Club students so they can start a cheer and create a good atmosphere in the student section.

Hype Club was originally created several years ago to spread student spirit throughout the school. Recently, Wiebe’s efforts have strengthened the club.

“I just wanted to bring more spirit to Free State and I wanted to have a bunch of fun and do cool things with cool people,” Wiebe said.

The club includes students from all grades who hope to make school spirit stronger. Students have many different reasons for joining.

“It seemed like a fun way to get more involved with the school,” sophomore Caroline Kirk said.

Freshman Seth Williams noticed the lack of school spirit compared to other schools. Williams hopes Hype Club will change that.

“I think [more school spirit] would definitely not hurt,” Williams said. “I think Hype Club plans to raise the level of school spirit and make Free State better.”

Wiebe hopes Hype Club will not only increase support of popular activities, but bring interest to the lesser known groups as well.

“Our goal is to try to have crazy things going on,” Wiebe said. “We also want to go to multiple different sporting events and even non-sporting events, like maybe debate, but try to go to the groups that don’t get recognized as much and just have fun.”

Sponsor Scott Smith remembers the history of this club and hopes it can continue for longer.

“Hype Club was started and put together by a bunch of guys about five or six years ago who were really crazy and really fun,” Smith said. “Why not do the [same thing with these students?]”

Wiebe hopes the club will encourage students to be engaged at school events.

“Hopefully, with Hype Club, we will have a bunch of people who aren’t scared to go out of the boundaries to be yelling at games going insane,” Wiebe said.