Owen Strickland

Zoo Captains (from left to right Joel Williams, Liam Pennel, Julia Bonnaire) are ready to cheer and get hype for the next game.

Students at Fauquier High School (FHS) take part in the Zoo, cheering and chanting for the school’s sports teams. The Zoo is a bleachers section where all the students sit at sporting events and wear a specific theme or color for that game. The head members are seniors who lead the chants and attend all FHS games to support. Some of the Zoo captains include Seniors Joel Williams, Julia Bonnaire and Liam Pennel. They have been involved with the Zoo since their freshman year, and now they take on the position of leading it.

Pennel had a lot to say about being a Zoo captain. After being at the Zoo for three years, he thought it would be fun to lead it. “I attend the games and bring in energy to the Zoo,” said Pennel.

The process of becoming a Zoo captain is not complicated, and many other FHS students would love to take that position. Pennel stated, “It starts with an application and then they review it and see if you’re fit for the job.”

Pennel believes what makes him a great Zoo captain is having connections. “I know a lot of people, so more people will want to go and cheer if I’m there to help,” Pennel explained.

Bonnaire is another Zoo captain, and she loves it. She wanted to become a Zoo captain “to help make things…stand at the front of the Zoo and make sure everyone is getting excited for events.” She continued, “I go to games and…help hold meetings with all the other Zoo captains to talk about stuff we’re doing.” Another part of becoming a Zoo captain is commitment. Bonnaire explains that, “all four years of high school, you have to be involved and be loud.”

Williams has always had a passion for motivating people. He said that what makes him a great Zoo captain is that “I am outgoing and loud, and I show up to any game you can think of.” He added, “I go and I make sure that I’m hyping the crowd up and starting chants.”

All of the zoo captains prefer football to attend over all the others. “I like our football games, they’re very interactive,” Pennel shared. In addition to being the most popular, football also has the highest turnout rate among FHS students. The Zoo captains bring energy and excitement to the FHS sporting events. They encourage the student body to attend and show off FHS pride.