April 5, for most IB students, was the most anticipated day of the year. Throughout classrooms hushed whispers debated the winning team, the partner dynamics and potential prizes.
IB Juniors Puja Patel and Jamie Copeland sitting on the track, waiting to race.
Field day brings all the IB students out of the classroom onto the fresh-smelling, green grass of DeLand High School’s ROTC field. It’s held annually, typically featuring events like dodgeball, capture the flag and tug-a-war.
This year’s field day events included fan-favorite cup pong, 9-square, Capture-the-Flag, a Relay Race and dodgeball. Each student chooses a partner and is then assigned a color team. These teams are captained by a senior, and they all compete against each other for the much coveted first-place title and prize.
For many, field day presents a rare opportunity to communicate with students from other grade levels and classes, as IB can be highly specialized and divided. The nature of field day allows for bonding based on experiences, rather than homework or projects.
Last year’s field day, planned by former senior Mary Kate, was won by the pink team. When reminiscing about last year’s games, current IB junior Tatianna Gonzalez said, “The best part was being announced a winner, and knowing that I had achieved it with people I’d never even spoken to.”
This year’s teams were a heavy topic of speculation, especially regarding who would come out on top. Shalaeiska Rodriguez, junior, predicted the red team would take home the gold, reasoning that, “they have the most diversity on athletic strength and have mutiple varsity athletes.”
Her prediction was correct, with the final podium featuring red team, led by senior James Gannon, on top. Second place was won by the yellow team, led by Emmy Miles. Third place went to brown team, headed by Riley Garrison. Best sportsmanship went to the black team, which Taylor Watson led.
As IB President, Watson was responsible for planning field day, alongside her fellow senior officers Emmy Miles, Maya Watts and Reed Wilgers. Grade level representatives Shreya Chandna, Weston Millet and Kimberly Nguyen also helped prepare this year’s IB Field Day.
Field day, despite its competitive nature, is about much more than just winning. IB is often times isolating and overwhelming.
The year consists of constant studying, preparing and working, which can often limit opportunities for socialization and care-free fun. End of year exams can create such intense pressure that students fail to see that they are not struggling alone.
Walking onto the ROTC field during IB Field day shows why it’s really needed: Each student can be found huddling in large groups, laughing and talking and exchanging stories. The joy is not tainted by stress or anxiety, and for one day a year each kid gets to do what kids do best: play.
Field day serves as a reminder no individual, no matter their struggles, is truly alone in the fight to succeed. It reminds us that IB, above all, is a community, a network of people who are all sharing the same experience.
When the next year rolls around, and many of us are headed off to an uncertain future, the memories of racing for first place, or sharing snacks on the field will linger, as will the connections each of us have built.
Photo by Shreya Chandna
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