Eastipedia: Heralders

Take a peak in yearbooks from around five decades ago and you will find the Heralders standing proud. Heralders have been a tradition for East for nearly the entire time East has been open.

At every home basketball and football game four of the Heralders come to the middle of the court or field and assume their position with their trumpet in the air. The band plays a quick few notes to symbolize the beginning of the game. The girls then walk off and have completed their task.

“The hardest part is staying on beat with the band,” junior Laurie Doerflinger said. As for the trumpets that are nearly 50 years old, “Krawitz said he wanted us to learn how to make noise from them next year.” Doerflinger said “I don’t think any girl is going to want to do that.”

“Dr.K always calls us “‘The ambassadors’ of the school,” senior Addie Anthony said. “I think it is a tradition for the beginning of the game to see the four girls walk out and it gets people ready for the game to start.”

The 13 Heralders are in charge of more than just opening up the basketball games and football games, If there is a school reunion they are “the face of Shawnee Mission East” to show alumni around the school. They also do the crowning at Homecoming and WPA. Heralders are unique to East because they are the only Shawnee Mission High School that has them.

Once the Heralders are accepted by Dr. Krawitz they have a couple of practices to learn the formation and then are put on a schedule to make sure there are always five girls at the games, just in case someone forgets or cannot make it. The girls received the jewelry and sweaters from the school, but they need to purchase their own shoes and skirts.

Heralders will continue to be at East for a while, The tradition will not go away just because the trumpets are falling apart or because Dr. Krawitz is leaving.

“It’s something to get yourself out there in school, and so people know who you are.” Doerflinger said.