The View From Here: Welcoming the Rain

There was a time—not too long ago—when we might have taken a rainy week in October for granted. After four years of devastating wildfires and a record-breaking drought, we all celebrated a bit after the thorough drenching we received over the last few weeks. The hillsides have finally turned green again, the air is clear, and although we know that the drought is not over, we are all breathing a little easier with the needed rain. This renewal is an apt metaphor for the vibrancy and engagement of our students on campus. Over the past few weeks, we have seen signs that the natural rhythms of campus life are not just returning, but coming back in ways beyond what we experienced before the pandemic.

Last week was one of the most spirited Spirit Weeks our school has ever experienced, with students and staffulty fully embracing our dress-up themes (Pink Day, Anything But A Backpack Day, Jersey Day, and of course, Halloween). Students were incredibly creative with their interpretations; one of my favorites was a student who borrowed a shopping cart from Trader Joe’s for Anything But A Backpack Day (promising the store manager that they would bring it back that afternoon, of course!). Other favorites included a microwave oven, a pet carrier, and a mop bucket. Another huge highlight of Spirit Week is our Flag Football game, an epic gridiron battle of juniors vs. seniors that includes our entire school as fans watching the game. It was a great match-up and the crowd was pumped, especially when the game MVP (a new award launched this year!) Aaron Knuth ‘22 intercepted a pass for a pick-six (his fourth interception of the game)... all while wearing his signature white Crocs! That final play cemented the seniors 28-14 victory and Aaron will forever be remembered as our first MVP of this SA tradition. 

Halloween has also always been a huge day at SA; and, after missing the past two years, our community did not waste the opportunity to showcase our costuming skills. Students and staffulty assumed new identities ranging from literary characters to pop culture icons to a cleverly conceived traffic cone, paraded around Ziemer field, and even participated in an outdoor version of our traditional trick-or-treat trail. That night, almost 300 students celebrated this exciting week at our outdoor Homecoming Dance. The joy and excitement was palpable, and the dancing kept everyone warm even though it was chilly late-October night.

There are so many other ways that our campus feels enlivened and energized. Our athletics teams have crushed it this fall: our Varsity Girls Volleyball team showed up strong in the NCS playoffs, and the Varsity Boys Soccer team earned its first #1 playoff seed in school history. They handled their opponents in this week’s home playoff opener, and they play Saturday night at SA. Winter sports kicked off this week, with the thunderous sound of basketballs in the gym and our Varsity Girls Soccer team on the pitch as well. Our musicians are rehearsing for the Winter Music Concert and our production of Little Women started rehearsals as well. Speech and Debate continues to dominate their competitions, and our Robotics team is ramping up for the 2022 FIRST competition. 

This morning in our staffulty meeting our yearbook advisors, Florence Rink and Pam Vincent, asked us to write our names and a quote that captures a line we use in the classroom or on campus. The students wanted both in our own handwriting and I loved seeing the different tag lines and quotes from our teachers and staff. Mine was not particularly clever, or likely as familiar to our students, but it does capture the energy, excitement, and gratitude that we all feel being on campus together every day. “It’s a good day to be a Coyote” — today and every day.