1. How long has Temple Christian been doing signs?
That’s a good question. There have always been signs in the gym, but we didn’t have this magnitude until the ’80s.
2. How many signs do you put up?
We put up 25 signs, but they aren’t all the same size. We usually have about 10 really big ones. They are 6 feet tall and between 10 and 15 feet long.
3. Where do you get your ideas?
The Internet, any media really. Pinterest has been really helpful these days. The girls come up with most of the ideas.
4. How many hours do you and the girls put in?
We do 20 hours a week for six weeks in the summer. If we are not quite finished, we come in a few weekends during the school year.
5. Do you and the girls have any help?
Occasionally, we’ll have some friends help, but the majority of the responsibility lands on the cheerleaders. We do get money for the paper, paint and tape from our boosters.
6. What kinds of supplies do you need?
Just paint brushes, tempura paint and tape — lots of tape. We also need a yardstick since a simple ruler just won’t suffice.
7. How many rolls of tape and other supplies do you go through?
We go through roughly 200 rolls of tape. We get big rolls of paper, and since we use a variety of colors, we’ve had some rolls for six or seven years. I just bought 30 bottles of paint — we go through probably 20 to 30, 16 ounce bottles of paint each year.
8. What is the process you go through to get all these signs up?
First, we measure out every square inch of the gym. Then we come up with all our ideas. We decide where each sign will go and decide the color of the paper because you don’t want, say, three large black signs in a row. Then the girls measure out the signs and tape the paper together. They do letter blocking — measure the space for the wording. Then they draw them and paint them. We have a long weekend, usually around Thanksgiving, where we hang them up using scaffolding and a lift. Then we breathe a sigh of relief.
9. Have you ever lost a sign?
Oh, yes! Sometimes they will fall off the wall. Occasionally, a sign will get ripped in the process of putting it up. We have had water damage to them after they were put up if the ceiling leaks or something. It’s very disappointing when we lose a sign considering all the hours the girls put into them.
10. Why do you do gym signs to this extent?
Well, we like to encourage the boys. It gives the school something to be proud of when other teams come in. Everyone always comments on the signs. We have a smaller gym, so it helps to have it decked out, and it helps to promote school spirit. We do have fun doing it, too.
