Soldier Surprises Sons At School ‘Pep Rally’

BOONEVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The first ever spring semester pep rally at Booneville Schools featured athletes, cheerleaders and a time to honor staff members and students whose loved ones are deployed.

Sergeant Pamela Stevens even made a video for her sons, Mackenzie and Waylon.

Local businesses provided gifts for the middle school students to give their mother on her return home and they didn’t have to wait long.

In reality, the pep rally was staged to surprise Sergeant Stevens’ sons, and the entire community.

“It was really great. I was very nervous. I felt like I was going to get sick. The pep rally kind of hyped me up, so I didn’t have quite the tears I thought I was going to,” said Sgt. Stevens.

Sergeant Stevens was deployed in Kuwait with the 1st Squadron, 98th Cavalry Regiment.

She served as a logistics clerk and was able to check in with her family from time to time through a Wifi video connection. But being able to surprise her two sons, in person, was much better.

“It was great, just being able to touch them is awesome, instead of just looking at them through a camera,” she said.

Waylon and Mackenzie say they are proud of their mother and her service to the country.

“It was surprising, I was really happy she was home. I thought she was getting home in less than a month,” said Mackenzie.

Both boys got excused absences the rest of the day to catch up on the past nine months.

Sergeant Stevens worked for the Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department.

However, she has agreed to take a full time position with the National Guard.