2020 has been an unprecedented year, to say the least. COVID-19 quickly cut last year’s in-person school experience short, leading to “Virtual GA” amidst the quarantine. Despite this unique opportunity to continue learning, most of GA can agree that there is nothing better than the normal school experience. As the pandemic continues to interrupt the current school year, one dilemma has yet to be solved— with all of the new restrictions and guidelines in place, how can GA continue to celebrate its annual fall traditions?
From the Halloween Parade to GA/PC Week festivities, fall has consistently been an exciting time for the entire GA community. Currently, there is much speculation about how the GA community will continue these traditions. Any solution will be difficult, as there are many restrictions on how activities can continue.
The first annual fall tradition is Flag Raising Day, one of the few days when the whole school comes together. Unfortunately, this year, it was unfeasible for the whole community to be in the same space at once. In response, Mr. Schelhas and the GA faculty orchestrated a live-streamed Virtual Flag Raising video accompanied by a special breakfast in the Quad for the senior class.
Another fall tradition that has continued is the House kickball tournament, which kicks off each year’s house competition. This year, kickball has proven to be a major success and closely resembles tournaments in previous years. Unlike the Flag Raising Ceremony, there are not any major alterations to the tournament. It is still held in the Quad and competitive spirit is still alive. As the championship approaches, more students have been present in the Quad at lunch (in a socially distanced fashion) to support their peers.
Even though this is a disappointing year for the whole community, it is especially difficult for the seniors. Most students in the Class of 2021 feel that this is not the senior year that they expected. However, as heard many times before, “by persevering we shall see the fruits.” The seniors are committed to making the most of what they have and enjoying every moment. Although many traditions were lost, the Senior Breakfast was an example of an event that could still be held. There was a great turnout; the vast majority of the senior class got the opportunity to eat and congregate in the Field House, albeit spread out.
As of now, the question of how the rest of the fall traditions will be adjusted for the pandemic remains unanswered. There are still many decisions to be made about events such as Oktoberfest and typical Halloween festivities. The good news is that prefects, SGA, other student groups, and faculty have all been working diligently to rework previous traditions and implement new events. SGA has been planning inclusive, cross-affinity activities to bridge new relationships and allow these groups to share their ideas.
For instance, prefects are working in different groups to plan for Halloween and to implement a brand new idea: a Red vs. Blue Day. The Upper School would be divided into two teams and compete in a series of competitions for points. At the end of the competitions, the points would be tallied and a winner would be decided. Other events being considered include two consecutive Spirit Weeks, a House Pumpkin Carving Contest, and a House Fashion show. In order to abide by all of the current guidelines, potential locations for these events include the outdoors, the fieldhouse, the stadium, and the gyms. These are only a few of the numerous things that are in progress for this year.
Overall, GA continues to demonstrate its resilience and perseverance. Students have made the best of the school year so far, and the school is working hard to incorporate fun festivities, both new and old, into the year. Stay tuned!