Peninsula High Aims to Beat Stress With Flash Mob Routine

Walk past the gym during lunchtime this week at and you might see students and staff working hard to beat pre-finals stress—while doing the grapevine to the tune of a Top 40 hit. 

Hundreds of students, staff and faculty are gearing up for a flash mob performance that school officials hope will ease finals-time jitters.

The routine will incorporate dance moves like the Charleston and Pony to be performed by students and staff to the beat of LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" at lunch Friday in Peninsula's outdoor amphitheater area.

"We wanted to truly help lessen the stress that both our students and faculty members feel at the end of the semester," said Season Pollock, Peninsula's director of student activities.

The flash mob idea was the result of months of brainstorming by the school's Associated Student Body. Nearly 500 students, staff and faculty have come to the school's gym during lunch so far to learn the steps, and some faculty members are even using DVD copies of the routine to teach students the moves in the final minutes of class, Pollock said.

"My students and I put all of the dance steps together with the intent of non-dancers being able to do the routine and have fun while they are doing it," said Pollock, a former Peninsula High and USC Song Leader.

Peninsula High Principal Mitzi Cress said with approach of finals, the organization of a flash mob is a good way to get students to relax.

"We are having fun, which is definitely helping with the stress," said Cress, who has also learned some new moves to perform Friday.

The flash mob routine is just one part of the school's efforts to relieve stress at the end of the semester, Pollock said. In addition to posting tips on stress relief in classrooms, the school also plans on giving each student bubbles to blow while listening to Bob Marley's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" on Jan. 17.

"The events our student leaders organize are always with the hope that they will bring our school together in positive, fun ways," Pollock said. "We thought hundreds of us dancing together would definitely accomplish that goal."