Let the Games Begin

By Sharon Kang

“Smile and wave, boys, smile and wave,” jokes Lauren Worten (12) in Leadership Development class Monday, September 12. Because planning for an event is part of being a good leader, the LD’s responsibility is to help plan the Eagle Games. 

For the past week, as soon as the seniors returned from Senior Sneak, Pastor Bob, our LD teacher, instructed us to help Mr. Van create new activities for Eagle Games and organize the team leaders. 

We were split into different groups assigned with all sorts of tasks: some went down to the staff office to print team members’ names, others worked on coming up with ideas for strategy games, and the rest of us brainstormed for new types of activities to add to the Eagle Games event. 

During those days, there would be occasional spirited chants rivaled between the four houses: Blaze, Quake, Bolt, and Wave; the class, however, all supported and enthusiastically participated in perfecting this event. 

One time, during that block, we were all a bit too eager to contribute our ideas that there was a division between whether or not the Penland Plunge should be kept for this year’s game. Coincidentally, Mr. Penland was also there listening to the chaotic “argument.” He silently observed each of us arguing that many people last year struggled with that game, and others backed up theirs’ by saying there were still some who enjoyed setting the highest score for the game. 

When it started to get even more heated up, Pastor Bob stepped in and concluded that we would add extra bonus points to whoever wanted to participate in the game. With this, most agreed and moved on to continue planning for each of the house’s team leaders.

In the end, everyone in the Leadership Development class is eager for the Eagle Games to start.

May the odds be ever in your favor.