2017 Elderfest review: Changes in store for next year?
A few seniors soak up the sun during their last Elderfest in the pit
The 2016-2017 school year is coming to a close, and one of the trademark events hinting towards summer is the annual Elderfest. Elderfest provides an opportunity for students and faculty to finally kick back and relax for a Friday and taste a bit of summer.
Activities range from locking yourself in a dark room with a group of fellow gamers to spending an afternoon filled with corn hole and Frisbee. I’ve even seen a few boys exhausted from the week just slumped on the field taking a long relaxing nap.
The event that always kicks off this glorious event is the Senior Mass. The Mass extends into a ceremony which congratulates each senior for their college decisions. Despite a the few criticisms about how long it takes, the occasion provides the seniors with a heartfelt, memorable experience watching their brothers’ commitments to move on from Elder.
One of the main components of this opening ceremony is the “passing of the torch” from the seniors to the juniors. The senior class president traditionally gives a speech directed towards his fellow 2017 graduates while hinting towards giving new responsibility to the juniors as well.
Since he is the student body president, Roman Lee was the designated speaker. Roman’s presidency has been one to remember, and he capped it off perfectly with his end of the year speech.
“Looking at the passing down of the torch, I see it as an important and exciting thing to do. The school gets to see its current president pass the lead on the next person in line who has to take those important steps in showing leadership in that position. The speech shows the school who you are as an individual, how you will lead, your insight on the school, and is just an amazing thing to see that next person take that step,” said Roman.
Roman also mention how the torch is not only passed down to the president, but is transitioned to the rest of the student council and the juniors. And there is nobody more fit to lead the juniors than future student body president Lou Langen.
Lou delivered his speech with the usual poise and maturity for which he is known. His speech encompassed his respect for the seniors as well as his anticipation of the junior leaders for next year.
Lou explained, “Naturally, I was bit bit nervous in the beginning, but I think I pulled it together pretty well.” Lou’s vision of the Elderfest presidential speeches is one you would look for in a leader: “Well, you know I have always looked up to the presidents especially during the Elderfest ceremony because unlike most pep rallies or what have you, the Elderfest speech is always more deep and personal rather than just comedy.”
Concerning Langen’s speech Roman said, “Looking at me and Lou’s speeches, I think they really were effective in what we wanted to say to the school. I wanted the speech to connect with everyone. Every student, faculty, staff, parent and member of the Elder community.”
When the Mass finally ceases, the student vs. faculty basketball game starts. This years game was pretty mediocre with the most exciting moment occurring in the last second as Mr. Quatman was stuffed by senior Ryan Jennings.
Then the students are off to the races. Of all the indoor tournaments, the ping pong tournament takes the cake for the most popular event in the Schaeper Center. After a long day of battling, junior Vince Sabato came triumphed as the winner after being a close runner-up last year.
“I was pumped. Last year I was super close to winning so I was glad I closed the door this year. The competition did not seem as hard this year though so maybe that’s why I had success, you never know,” said Vince.
Along with approved sports such as T-Ball and Birdie Ball, there has been some speculation about illegal Elderfest activity such as grilling off campus. The man behind the scenes, Mr. Reiring, who practicality runs Elderfest is looking to make changes about this “truck bed grilling.”
“Well to start out with I am extremely happy with the responsibility of the students setting up their sports and stations. That was all them, and hope that continues. However, the parking lot grilling needs to stop because we cannot monitor them and it takes away from the whole purpose of the day,” said Reiring.
He continued to express his thoughts about grilling mentioning how the point of the day is not to isolate yourself with your closest seven buds. Rather it should be a day to make a few new friends and expand your horizons.
Whether these changes are instituted or not, Elderfest is and will always be an enjoyable day unique to Elder High School.
