Since the beginning of the summer, a group of students and teachers at Andalusia High School have been working to make sure the 2010 football season gets off on the right track.

Next Thurs., Aug. 26, from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., they’ll get their chance at the AHS Bulldog Block Blowout where the football team, cheerleaders and coaches will be introduced to the community.

“It’s like a big city-wide pep rally,” AHS senior Jamie Park, one of the Bulldog Block Party coordinators, said. “We just kind of want to kick off the year with one big pep rally for everyone to be involved.”

Park said the event will begin with face painting and food.

Then, a pep rally will take place followed by the Bulldog walk. The Bulldog walk is where the cheerleaders will walk the football players out, she said.

“Then, they’ll shake hands and mingle with the fans,” Park said.

After the players mingle with the crowd, introductions will be made and motivational words will soon follow.

At the end of the party, there will be a second short pep rally.

Park said the pep rally idea came about because the students and teachers “expect” the football team to have a good year.

“A couple teachers and students wanted to really set off this year because we expect it to be a great year,” she said. “It was kind of back and forth, what can we do and how can we get everyone in the city involved in it. Then, it just kind of happened.”

Park said the pep rally committee invited former AHS standout and current Alabama linebacker Nico Johnson to the pep rally, but said he couldn’t make it because of his football schedule.

Instead, Johnson has written a letter to the community, and it will be read aloud at the party, Park said.

In addition, Joe Cope, and AHS grad and former Auburn student, will speak.

When asked what she wants the party to get across to the community, Park said to make sure the team knows the community and school is behind them.

“Really, just showing everyone that the Andalusia Bulldogs have a lot of support,” she said. “They may not see it a whole lot throughout the school, and that the city is behind our football team.”

The block party will take place from the end of the town square in front of C.J.’s Grille and WAAO down to Pirate Graphics.

That portion of East Three  Notch will be closed from approximately 5:30 until 8:30 p.m. for the event.