Students Discuss Spirit Week Plans,
School Issues at
SCA Retreat
‘Heroes and
Villains’ Decided as Week Theme
By Anna Duning (September 27, 2006)
Led by SCA officers and sponsors Ms. Karin Tooze
and Ms. Jennifer Jayson, 47 students and six faculty members spent
24 hours planning homecoming festivities and discussing important
school issues from Sunday morning to Monday afternoon during the
annual SCA Fall Retreat at Camp Highroad in Middleburg, Virginia.
But it was not all serious work
as everyone involved also spent time sharing stories and playing
games, one of which
included a “battle of the high seas” in canoes at the nearby pond.
|
|
|
Participants
in the SCA Retreat make ready to board the canoes to battle
on the imagined high seas. (Photo by Laura Peppe)
|
The
enthusiasm is evident on the faces of these students who
participated in the SCA’s Annual Fall Retreat during
which extensive plans for homecoming were decided. (Photo
by Laura Peppe) |
Among the various decisions made, the senior representatives
chose a “Heroes and Villains” theme for spirit week to correlate with
the James Bond 007 dance premise. The other class groups then proceeded
to select their individual theme days, which include, the Wild West,
Disney, comic book characters, pirates and spies. In addition to the
dress-up days, plans were made to continue Mason spirit traditions
such as hall decorating, the pep-rally, the grounds party and other
class-competitions.
A new idea, proposed by assistant principal
Mr. Tim Guy, would entail each class creating a mascot-type “big head” that
corresponds with that class’s theme day. During halftime at the homecoming
game, students would volunteer to wear their class’s creation and race
around the track, imitating a similar event that occurs at Washington
Nationals’ professional baseball games. Mr. Guy was seen early Tuesday
morning delivering plastic laundry baskets to class sponsors as bases
for creating the big heads.
In addition to setting in motion plans for the events
surrounding homecoming, SCA students also discussed issues of importance
in the George Mason community. Matters regarding school curriculum,
the honor code, SCA effectiveness and general school climate were raised,
some of which sparked much debate. Student representatives in connection
with various teachers hope to continue such discussions throughout
the year in order to improve George Mason as a whole. Even now, ideas
are being set forth to establish a student-run “Academic Council” in
order to give students a greater voice in decisions made about the
school curriculum and all issues related to academics.
Later this week, SCA officers will hold
class conversations to further inform their classmates about the homecoming
dance and spirit week as well as vote for homecoming court.
