Embedded Files
By Emily Russell
It’s that time of year again! West Fest is right around the corner, and as we prepare ourselves for a day of fun and outdoor activities, let’s take a step back to remember the highlights, the teachers who run it, and even look at some student opinions.
West Fest encourages students to be active outside of the building for the day, with several booths and sports events. Kids have the opportunity to practice sportsmanship and participate in a plethora of engaging activities with their peers. In the field, kickball, football, and soccer players are allowed to play as they please. For less team-indulgent students, there’s an array of obstacle courses, slip-n-slides, bounce houses, and craft booths. As an extra incentive for students, a dunk tank is typically available near the fields. As for who is in the tank, teachers rotate to see which students will hit the target and drop them into the water below. This station is usually a student favorite, along with the hot dogs provided.
I was able to get more of an inside look into West Fest by interviewing co-coordinator Mr. Panepinto. He told me about the origins of the day and how everything became what it is now. One day, Mr. Panepinto looked outside his window and was inspired by the beauty of our school's landscape. He realized we do not utilize it enough and consulted with his co-coordinator, Mrs. Owczarczak, and the student body to figure out a way to create a school-wide field day. There are challenges in coordinating it every year. Safety is a very prominent factor in the day, as regulating such large student activities can become difficult. Organizing and fundraising are solely done by Mrs. O, Mr. Panepinto, and other teachers and staff who volunteer their time. Creating a day of fun for the students is a big undertaking, but Mr. Panepinto says the “reactions people have during the day and watching how our school's community comes together” makes it all worth it. “The first year we ran it, I couldn’t believe how the work and effort culminated into what we know now. It’s really turned into something more,” he stated.
From an alternate perspective, I also got the inside look at how students view the day. Many regarded how much they enjoyed the overall experience. It’s a day they can hang out and unwind with friends and teachers while also enjoying the outside air. Students such as Julianna Garrow even remarked that this was what they looked forward to the most in the school year. She stated that “spending the whole day with friends” was part of her favorite memories from each year. Students were also asked what their personal favorite from the West Fest is every year. The dunk tank and the hot dog booths came up most often, but a large portion of answers also mentioned the parkour courses available in the fields. Some students made suggestions as to what they’d like to see next year. Quinn Blair-Heim suggested more areas not in the sun and more things for students to buy food-wise. Another popular suggestion regarded the security and line upkeep. Several students claimed that the singular rows of lines for food were inconvenient, as they took up lots of space and made it hard for everyone to get what they needed. Security was made a concern by students upset with the lack of supervision for certain events. There were also more fun suggestions, such as “talent shows,” “water games,” and “balloon animals.”
Overall, West Fest has become a big part of the Kenmore West community, and we’re all looking forward to it on June 16th and seeing its development in years to come!
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