Algonquin has a bunch of unique events throughout the school year that bring out the excitement for many students. Some take place outside of school like Winter Ball, but others are fun in school activities like spirit weeks, the Halloween custom contest and the rock-paper-scissors competition. A lot of what you will remember from high school are all these amazing events the school hosts, so here are my top five school events of the year.
#5: Students vs Faculty basketball game
Even if you’re not a fan of basketball, it’s still enjoyable to watch your favorite teachers and friends play in the student vs. faculty basketball game. This makes for some hilarious moments, whether it’s a student shooting a three pointer in front of their teacher’s face or a staff member posting up a student in the paint. The timing is also perfect, coming right before a much needed winter break. It’s just a fun way to end the calendar year and head into break.
#4: Winter Ball
Winter ball is scheduled at one of the most wonderful times of the year, right in the middle of December when everyone is feeling all festive and jolly for the holiday season. Dressing nicely and going to a nice venue to dance with your friends sounds like a great way to express said jollyness. For the past three years, the event took place at the DCU Center in Worcester, but this year it was at the Renaissance Framingham Hotel & Conference Center. I think what could have made this year’s Winter Ball better if there were more food options other than the desserts. Regardless of that, Winter Ball still creates memorable nights and still keeps those same festive vibes.
#3: Sporting events
Sports are some of the highlights about high school, sitting in the student section and showing your school pride is something that’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s exciting to root for your friends and classmates. It’s even more exciting if you’re playing on one of the teams and have the student section behind you cheering you on. Some of the best student section themes in my opinion are lights out, USA and pinkout. The stands are always lively and cowed for games, but on certain game days and nights, it’s extra packed. One of them is senior night; people show up early or stay after the game to celebrate and congratulate the seniors for what they have accomplished. Another time is when the teams are in a playoff game. Since a lot of our teams play in highly ranked leagues, it’s hard to get a home playoff game, but when they do it’s a must attend event.
#2: Carnival
Carnival day is one of my favorite days of the year. It usually comes around the end of May when the weather starts to feel like summer again. You also just get to relax and spend some time with your friends after a long school year. It’s a fun day full of club activities, food, games and entertainment. What makes carnival so special is that it provides something for everyone. You always see someone with a smile having fun and enjoying their day which all of these events are supposed to do. One of the big attractions at carnival is the powder puff game. It’s a flag football game between the junior and senior girls. It’s supposed to be a friendly competition between the teams, but both go all in to win the game and the intensity rises along with the crowd’s energy. I think lastly what makes carnival so special especially for the seniors, is that it’s their last day of school, so it’s a pretty packed and emotional day for them.
#1: The pep rally
The most exciting and talked about event of the year is the pep rally. This intense and high energy competition between the four grades results in one class taking home the champion belt for the year. Every grade gets props, color coordinates and decorates their side of the gym. Some of the highlights of the pep rally are the football and cheerleader cheer routines. The football team and cheerleaders work together for weeks to come up with a routine that will hype up the school for the big annual Thanksgiving football game. The MC’s do a great job of hyping up the crowd and making sure everything runs smoothly. Another exciting game is musical chairs, getting the whole crowd roaring. Some other notable events are the spelling bee, the air mattress race, a sac potato relay race and tug of war. Pep rally is a really fun way to celebrate everyone at Algonquin for all they have succeeded so far in the year, and head into Thanksgiving break on a great note. Because it’s one of the most iconic events of the year, it comes in as number one on the top five best Algonquin school events of the year.
