Tech has grand plans for the 2026-27 school year to conduct a cultural revival, bringing back 100-year-old trends. While the school was initially founded in 1914, no such centennial anniversary was held in 2014. Difficulty arranging a celebration honoring 1914 was encountered, as there were legal challenges in sending students off to a military boot camp, where students’ government IDs were rendered null in a system error that revoked birthright citizenship.
In a recent unveiling of the 1925-26 Scribe yearbook, Oakland Tech staff found inspiration. Pages featuring student photos revealed Tech’s club of army recruit aspireés, with grim faces full of national pride. Students can purchase trenchcoats at the Bulldog store as an additional layer to their uniforms.
“I’ve been trying for this for years,” Coach Ashlee Sherman confessed, “I’ve always thought the kids could use being drafted as a way to get a spine.”
Citing historical significance as a suitable reason to transform the Tech track back into model trenches, Sherman plans to oversee summer renovations, which include using the appropriate materials of radium and lead paint to cover up grime.
Some teachers raised the issue of discrimination in training Tech’s boys in the trenches. Regardless, cleaning the latrines will be provided as an activity with total equality.
“Fortunately, we’ve discovered that there was a girls’ rifle shooting club,” Dr. Woolridge shared. “So we’ll be able to let everyone try their hand at the gun range.”
Located in the basement of the Boys’ Gym is the old shooting range—also planned to be redone in the summer construction.
AP American Government teacher Mr. Barrett supports the new physical education plans.
“It’s really a way to get students to better understand the Constitution,” Barrett said. “I’m just hoping that beyond practicing our 2nd Amendment rights, we can encompass the rest of the Bill of Rights.”
Senior government teachers plan to install a mock jury and jail system, where students will get to experience firsthand why the 8th Amendment exists.
“To be honest, anything past the 12th Amendment isn’t necessary,” Barrett added. “It’s always good to be conservative in our policy changes.”
It is not only academics that will experience a resurgence. Tech plans to reintroduce the yelling club, which will be geared towards practicing patriotic chants. Trumpets will also be provided, free of charge. Once a student joins the club, mandatory four-year long attendance will result in the awardance of graduation cords.
School traditions will also be included in the revival. For the 2026 graduating class, Tech is adding the Senior Brawl back, set to be a week before graduation. Students will need valid medical excuses or a private physician’s approval to opt-out.
“It’ll give the kids enough time to recover,” Dr. Alexis Gray-Lawson commented shrewdly. “And if that’s not enough time—well, they weren’t made for college life anyway.”
Free to spectate by the lower grades, the Brawl will have no rules and will not be counted as a fight on students’ records.
“We’re updating—or, backdating—the sports teams’ uniforms too,” Dr. Gray-Lawson said.
Tech teams will now be wearing the 1926 uniforms, consisting of micro-mini jean shorts. The swim teams’ uniforms will be wool undergarments coated in lanolin.
“We thought about having jerseys, too,” Dr. Gray-Lawson added. “But we are on a budget, so it’ll only be the shorts students wear. Real Levi’s denim, too!”
For the 2026-27 school year, free anti-chafing cream will be available in the bathrooms for students to adjust to the wardrobe change.
Tech staff are embracing their roots, and will be welcoming student opinions as the old policies are brought back.