Holmes classes racing to claim top prize in annual Tiger Cup

The Tiger Cup is a yearlong, grade-level competition at Holmes Junior High designed to boost student participation, improve attendance and strengthen the school community. Modeled after a house-style competition, the Tiger Cup allows every student to earn points for their grade through a wide range of activities throughout the year. These include dress-up days, Tiger Time enrichments, ECHOES clubs, attendance challenges and school-wide events such as Holmes Hoopla and the ISASP celebration.

More than just a way to show Tiger pride, the Tiger Cup has become a powerful tool for increasing student involvement.

Kevin Kuker, a ninth-grade U.S. history teacher, has noticed a clear difference in student engagement since the program began.

“Students seem much more active in their participation, especially when it comes to enrichments during Tiger Time,” Kuker said.

Kuker is not alone in noticing the increase. Alaine Steger, one of the original creators of the Tiger Cup in 2024, said participation has continued to grow as students are rewarded for getting involved.

“We’ve seen student involvement really increase during Tiger Time enrichments now that students can earn up to five Tiger Cup points each week for attending,” Steger said. “Some of the most popular enrichments include Fitness+, Bible Study, Darwin Day, Bingo, Music+, Hairbraiding and Fantasy Football.”

Steger has also seen a rise in school spirit, particularly during dress-up days tied to major school events.

“Participation during dress-up days leading up to homecoming, winter break and spring break has increased,” Steger said. “Before winter break, 85.5 percent of students participated in at least one dress-up day.”

Fundraisers are another key part of the Tiger Cup. Events such as Penny Wars, Pie a PPS and candy cane sales help support prizes and rewards throughout the year.

Jessica Hartz, a ninth-grade English teacher, said the funds raised directly benefit students.

“The money we raise through fundraisers goes toward small prizes throughout the year and the end-of-year prize for the winning grade,” Hartz said.

Most of the funds are used to support an end-of-year field trip for the grade level with the most points. According to Steger, the more money raised, the bigger the reward.

“The more money we collect or donate, the bigger the field trip can be at the end of the year,” she said.

Last year, seventh grade won a field trip to Marcus Cinema in Waterloo, where students watched a new movie release, enjoyed popcorn, and spent time with friends and classmates. This year, staff members are considering returning to the movie theater or visiting Lost Island in Waterloo.

Behind the scenes, staff members and organizers play a major role in keeping the Tiger Cup running smoothly. Responsibilities include tracking the scoreboard, helping plan events, reaching out to community sponsors, and writing grants to support fundraising efforts.

As of now, seventh grade is leading the Tiger Cup with 5,340 points, followed by eighth grade with 4,972 points and ninth grade with 4,719 points. With plenty of time left in the school year, the competition is far from over.