Knox Elementary School held a pep rally and parade on school grounds to motivate its students to ‘best the test’ come Wednesday.

Knox held a celebration to thank its students for their hard work and motivate them to do well on the Alabama Reading and Math Test state assessment test they’ll take on Wednesday.

“We hold our pep rally and parading to the ARMT+ because the testing starts tomorrow, so it’s a motivational strategy to get our kids involved and focused, and just to let them know that we appreciate all the hard work they’ve done this school year,” said James Pope, principal of Knox Elementary School.

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Kappa League, Concordia College band, a DJ, and the Knox PTO (Parent teacher organization) participated in the event, with music and dancing.

Pope said the students have been practicing and preparing for the test for a while, and he knows they’ll do well.

“The state assessment starts tomorrow and we know they’re going to do a good job,” Pope said. “We’ve been studying and practicing, and making sure we give them testing tips, so they’re ready. We just want to make sure they’re focused, and we’re giving them motivation. These are my babies, and I want my babies to do well. They’ve got to make threes and fours on the ARMT, and that’s what I know they’re gong to do.”

Pope said preparation for the test and the organization for the celebration took a complete effort.

“I have outstanding faculty and staff here at Knox,” Pope said. “This is a family, and this is a family effort from the parents to the community to everyone who works here at the school.”