On Wednesday, August 28, students set aside their books and laptops for a day dedicated to team-building and camaraderie. Whether off-campus or on, students embraced the opportunity to strengthen friendships and build a sense of community.
In order for this day to be possible, it required meticulous planning from the grade level deans. Dean of Students Mr. Kevin Jacobsen explained, “Each respective grade level Dean has the responsibility to plan the day for each grade. It’s not easy to plan a day for roughly 135 people (students and faculty), so they do a lot of work to make the day a success.”
Freshman: A Day of Fun on Campus
Dr. Pierman and the freshman began their day on campus, starting with advisory competitions from 9 a.m to noon. The morning was filled with competition and games, where students competed in various minute-to-win-it style activities. A pizza lunch was provided, and in the afternoon, students had the option to watch a movie (The Lorax) in Benjamin Hall, participate in sports like pickleball or basketball, or play a variety of video games in a mobile arcade that the school had rented. Popcorn, cotton candy, and snow cones were also available.
Unlike the other grades, the freshman stay on campus. Pierman explains that, “The freshmen stay on campus because they are still fostering their connection to the school, and we also don’t have the buses to transport them. Working as a team builds camaraderie amongst the students in the advisories. By competing, finding out what people are good at, and laughing at the funny moments, memories are created for a lifetime. Nothing like a good bit of friendly competition to make you feel like you’ve found your people!”
Students loved the day that Pierman had planned. Reflecting on the day’s events, freshman Peyton Welke noted, “I thought that competing with our advisors was really fun. It was really nice to have a break from school. I really liked staying on campus because I was able to get a better feel for it and learn my way around. I loved having some free time after the planned activities in the morning, and overall it was a really great day.”
Sophomores: Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Mrs. McCambridge and the sophomores spent their class-building day at West Palm Beach’s Sky Zone Trampoline Park. After arriving at the school by 9 a.m, students traveled to the trampoline park, where they had the opportunity to jump on the trampolines, play basketball, dodgeball, and much more. After a morning of fun on several different elements, students enjoyed a pizza lunch provided by Sky Zone and then returned to campus around 2 p.m.
Sophomore Zeta Kujawa loved going to Sky Zone and enjoyed getting to know people outside of her advisory and classes.
“My favorite part of the trip was getting to see all of the people that I hadn’t seen since last year. I also really liked how many different activities there were to do because it allowed everyone to just be together. I felt like I could join any group at any time and it was so nice to have fun with everyone outside of school. Freshman year, we mainly stayed with our advisors, so I really liked being able to spend time with the whole grade in such a fun environment,” Kujawa said.
Juniors: Fun Depot
Ms. Donnelly and the junior class headed to Lake Worth’s Fun Depot for their class-building day experience. Students had three hours to enjoy the attractions at Fun Depot, which included unlimited arcade games, laser tag, and go-carts, and bowling.
Junior Carter Burden felt that the shared experiences at Fun Depot helped bring the class closer together and foster a stronger sense of camaraderie.
“My favorite part of the trip was definitely the go karts. I have not been to Fun Depot in a while, so it was great to be able to spend a day there with no stress or anything to worry about. I feel like this trip really helped to promote an inclusive environment. When we played laser tag, everyone played in pretty random groups which allowed people who do not normally hang out together to get to know each other better,” Burden expressed.
Seniors: The Rapids Water Park
Dr. Peruggia and the seniors spent their day at West Palm Beach’s Rapids Water Park. After a brief morning meeting about the yearbook, the Class boarded buses for a short ride to the park. Once there, they had the freedom to explore the many activities and attractions from the water slides, to the wave pool, and more. advisors. A buffet style lunch of hotdogs, hamburgers, and salad was served at the park’s picnic area, after which students had a bit more time for splashing around until the group departed at around 2:15 p.m.
Senior Elinor Samarias enjoyed her day at the Rapids and felt that it was the perfect way to spend time with her grade without the demands of school and college applications.
“Doing team building trips like this are really important because everybody can just be together and have fun without the stress of school. I had a great time with my friends and especially loved riding down all of the slides,” Samarias shared.
(Franzen)
Overall, the Class-Building Day seemed to be a great success as it effectively brought students together, fostered new friendships, and set a positive tone for the year ahead.
