By Kristin Sommers (February 7, 2003)

Are you feeling tired out from a full week of intensive study for exams? Feeling down because of the gray, cold weather? Don’t worry; Rebound Week is just around the corner.

Rebound Week, now in its third year, is held after semester exams to help students relax and reenergize before starting second semester. Student Council Association president Kate O’Hara says that she "hopes students understand that the SCA has added a lot more activities to Rebound Week this year."

This coming Saturday was to be the official kickoff for Rebound Week with the Mr. Mason Contest, but tonight’s basketball game at Strasburg has been postponed until tomorrow night, moving the Mr. Mason contest to Thursday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. Admission is $3.

The Mr. Mason contest features males from each grade level competing in original and often inventive talent displays competing for the prestigious and coveted title. SCA sponsor Dan Wilkie hinted at the uniqueness of the acts to be seen in the show. "One senior will play his trombone while his dog howls along, another contestant will make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with someone else’s arms, another will dive from a ladder into a cup of water, and another will sing a Pokemon song. It should be interesting," said Wilkie.

Every day next week will feature a different activity to help students have fun and relax during Rebound Week. Monday has the winter sports pep-rally during the last block. Tuesday is the first round of competition with the seniors versus the freshmen and the juniors vs. the sophomores. That night is senior night for the boys’ basketball team. The varsity game starts at 7:30.

Wednesday is early release and there is an ice cream social after school. At the social, free vanilla, chocolate, cookie dough and mint chocolate chip ice cream will be served and an ice cream eating contest will be held. To compete in the contest you have to buy a 50 cent raffle ticket from either Kate O’Hara or Mr. Wilkie and the winners will be drawn and compete during the social for great prizes.

On Thursday the finals for the pin dodge competition will be held between the two winners from Tuesday’s match. Friday will be the Rebound Week band jam in which Mason bands will play and the dance will be deejayed by senior Jenny Davis from 9 to12 in the Mustang Café. During the entire week the class Coin War will continue. The money will go to charities picked by each class and the winner will be decided by how many pennies each class has thrown into the five-gallon bottles outside the library and all silver coins will deduct points from each jar.

The Teacher Awareness Committee of the SCA has asked that teachers give students a lighter load of school work during rebound week. "There is not a single person that would not appreciate this week There are reasons that everyone needs this break," is the message sent to all faculty.

Hopefully by this time next week students and teachers alike will have had a fun filled and relaxing week and will be ready to start the second semester.