Author:	Aaron Davenport
	Grade:	Junior
	School:	Cedarcrest High School
	Mascot:	Redwolves
	League:	Cascade Conference
	Classification:	2A

"There's No Place Like Home"

“Do people drive tractors to school?” “Do you raise cows?” “Are the roads paved?”  These are just a few of the crazy questions I’ve been asked about living in the small town of Duvall.  I think people are surprised to find out that although we are a rural community, Duvall is a thriving area in which to live.  The Snoqualmie Valley is a beautiful region offering stunning views and a peaceful lifestyle.  However, what I love most about living here is the incredible support students in this community experience. 

Residents of Duvall and Carnation feed into only one high school. As a result, there is a lot of pride and local support for our school.  It’s not unusual to see Red Wolves apparel sold in the local grocery store and signs of school spirit all over town.  This month, a local business really stepped up their show of support by placing Red Wolf flags all up and down Main Street to celebrate our homecoming week.  There have been decorating contests for local businesses to show Red Wolf spirit.  Volunteers have even painted paw prints on road leading up to our high school. It’s pretty awesome to see how many people step up to support our school.

One way that our community stays connected with our high school is through the Big Buddy program.  In the program, high school football players are matched up with players in our junior football program. Throughout the year, big buddies might go to a little buddy’s practice or game or bring them a treat.  The little buddies love coming to Friday night games to see their big buddies in action.  This is a great way for our high school athletes to give back, serve as positive role models, and to show the youngest members of our community that we appreciate and care about them too.

Friday night football at Cedarcrest High school is truly amazing.  Although we only have just over 900 students, it is not unusual to have upwards of 2500 people at a Varsity Football game.  Our student section is MASSIVE and the energy that comes from it is incredible. The kids dress up in theme attire, stand throughout the game, and cheer constantly.  Our impressive marching/pep band is comprised of 94 students and is one of the best in the state.  They bring powerful energy to the crowd and often entertain at halftime. Friday Night Lights is about more than just football.  When our band, or cheerleaders or drill team perform at halftime, the crowd stays in their seats to watch and cheer them on. There is so much support for all of the students participating. 

The stands are packed with not only football families, but community members who come out to be a part of the fun and support the team.  There is truly no greater feeling than scoring a touchdown and hearing so many of your neighbors and peers cheering you on. I hope the members of our community realize how much they mean to us and how much they impact our school. There’s something really special about living in a small town and I know how lucky I am to live in such an awesome place.  I think to myself often, there’s no place like home.