Wednesday, June 12, 2019

We reflect on the best day of the school year from years past: please bring back Field Day

John Devaney and Garrett Hoffman
Staff Writers

Field Day. The day we all used to think of for the last few months of school. It was almost as if the whole school year led up to that one day, like Heaven on Earth.
    We would get on the bus for school, the smell of sunscreen in the air as the weather would always be perfect that day. Not a schoolbag in sight, only drawstring day packs with lunch and a water. The thoughts of schoolwork and agonizing tests were left behind at home because today was different. The buses would enter the drop off line. The other kids staring out the windows at the bouncy houses inflating, like castles divulging from the ground.
    Homeroom would pass by quickly, smiles on everyone’s faces as they were smothered with colors and bandanas. Then the teacher would announce it was time to go, and like a river the kids would flood out of the room and right to the door to the activities. 
Eventually though, those days ended. Children became teenagers and parents and teachers thought enough was enough. “They can’t have too much fun” they told each other in agreement. (OK, maybe that last sentence didn’t really happen, but doesn’t it feel like it did sometimes?) And with that, there was no longer any fun in high school, just notes and busy work, leading up to more notes and more busy work.
    Which is why we need to bring it back. We all know the last few weeks of school are pretty much a waste of time since we are pretty much done with standardized tests and CBA exams. So, why don’t we just have at least one day of fun? We would have all the students and teachers come together and connect after a stressful year, putting all their differences aside. It would bring back childhood memories and make new memories at the same time. We don’t need all of the fancy things that the little kids have like bouncy houses and slides, obviously those would not work for us now that we are taller and heavier.
    All the students want are just a few backyard games. Maybe some cornhole, four square, and ladder toss. Just a little something to wrap up the year and bring everyone back together before moving on to summer.