NewsUpper SchoolStudent Life
Student life: nurturing energetic minds and bodies
Apr 25, 2002 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
Doors creak. Showers groan. Hair dryers hum. Appliances and hardware perform their dutiful tasks the same as every other day of the week. These early morning sounds occur on a Saturday shattering a hallowed silence in the Houses. In the world of teenagers sounds at this hour are considered infractions. If these residents regard Saturday morning silence and stillness as sacred, then what could compel a teenager to break the unwritten code and roll out of bed without a struggle? How about an Atlanta excursion, outdoor adventure, amusement park, the Chattanooga Aquarium, a cultural event, or Tigerfest?
During the week, students’ schedules are jam-packed with daily responsibilities including studies and after-school activities plus possibly athletics, community service, or involvement in various student organizations. When the week ends what does the School do with boarding students –especially those dependent on others for transportation? Darlington supports an extensive student activities program to offer and coordinate a variety of activities on and off campus. Student activities are planned, promoted, and implemented by the Student Activities Committee under the guidance of Director Michael Magidson who works with student prefects and faculty members representing each House.
The committee’s purpose is to provide an assortment of activities so that students have a chance to experience more. “The student activities program is well supported by the administration and a lot of emphasis is put on having things for the kids, particularly the residents, to do on the weekends,” Magidson explained. “The student activities prefects from each House are in charge of coming up with the ideas for weekend activities, and it is my job to translate those ideas into reality.”
On-campus activities are offered like movies on the Morris Chapel lawn, games and tournaments, dances, karaoke, coffee houses, capture-the-flag cookouts, and events featuring student and celebrity talents. In addition, there are many special celebrations, such as the prom and Tigerfest. Complementing the on-campus activities are a wide range of weekend trips and jaunts to Atlanta, shopping malls and outlets, paintball, amusement parks, fairs, ski resorts, martial arts tournaments, professional sports events, wilderness adventure trips, and cultural events (musical, dramatic and artistic productions). All this plus events are sometimes scheduled for weekdays like special dinners, concerts, drama productions, and House socials. Then there are trips scheduled during breaks for educational purposes or to relax. “I think the kids who benefit the most are the resident kids, particularly the international students, who usually don't have cars. They are, by far, the most loyal supporters of student activities trips, “Magidson said. “I wish more day students would get involved in these trips. The ones that do are always glad that they did and often return for more.”
Scheduling activities is an essential part of an effective boarding program. “We have hundreds of energetic minds and bodies that need a variety of ways to focus their energies,” Magidson said.
Focusing their energies was precisely the goal during the weekend of April 19 beginning with the return of Tiger Night Theater with Houses competing to put on the best show. The winner was Steadman House’s version of the Jeopardy game show.
Weekend activities continued with Saturday’s daylong Tigerfest, an annual festival held on the Chapel lawn each spring. “Every year it is a little different. This year, I really wanted to emphasize music, so I spent a lot of time and money getting Jupiter Coyote, a big independent band from North Carolina, and Lincoln Conspiracy, an up-and-coming act out of Boston, to come and play here,” Magidson said. “ We had bands all day and into the evening, as well as food and inflatable games, which are always popular with the kids. It's the kind of event that needs to be planned months in advance.”
Activities rolled on into Sunday afternoon with a mall trip for students needing outfits for the next weekend’s Junior-Senior Prom and a water balloon/shaving cream battle between the girls on the Middle School lawn.
During the week, students’ schedules are jam-packed with daily responsibilities including studies and after-school activities plus possibly athletics, community service, or involvement in various student organizations. When the week ends what does the School do with boarding students –especially those dependent on others for transportation? Darlington supports an extensive student activities program to offer and coordinate a variety of activities on and off campus. Student activities are planned, promoted, and implemented by the Student Activities Committee under the guidance of Director Michael Magidson who works with student prefects and faculty members representing each House.
The committee’s purpose is to provide an assortment of activities so that students have a chance to experience more. “The student activities program is well supported by the administration and a lot of emphasis is put on having things for the kids, particularly the residents, to do on the weekends,” Magidson explained. “The student activities prefects from each House are in charge of coming up with the ideas for weekend activities, and it is my job to translate those ideas into reality.”
On-campus activities are offered like movies on the Morris Chapel lawn, games and tournaments, dances, karaoke, coffee houses, capture-the-flag cookouts, and events featuring student and celebrity talents. In addition, there are many special celebrations, such as the prom and Tigerfest. Complementing the on-campus activities are a wide range of weekend trips and jaunts to Atlanta, shopping malls and outlets, paintball, amusement parks, fairs, ski resorts, martial arts tournaments, professional sports events, wilderness adventure trips, and cultural events (musical, dramatic and artistic productions). All this plus events are sometimes scheduled for weekdays like special dinners, concerts, drama productions, and House socials. Then there are trips scheduled during breaks for educational purposes or to relax. “I think the kids who benefit the most are the resident kids, particularly the international students, who usually don't have cars. They are, by far, the most loyal supporters of student activities trips, “Magidson said. “I wish more day students would get involved in these trips. The ones that do are always glad that they did and often return for more.”
Scheduling activities is an essential part of an effective boarding program. “We have hundreds of energetic minds and bodies that need a variety of ways to focus their energies,” Magidson said.
Focusing their energies was precisely the goal during the weekend of April 19 beginning with the return of Tiger Night Theater with Houses competing to put on the best show. The winner was Steadman House’s version of the Jeopardy game show.
Weekend activities continued with Saturday’s daylong Tigerfest, an annual festival held on the Chapel lawn each spring. “Every year it is a little different. This year, I really wanted to emphasize music, so I spent a lot of time and money getting Jupiter Coyote, a big independent band from North Carolina, and Lincoln Conspiracy, an up-and-coming act out of Boston, to come and play here,” Magidson said. “ We had bands all day and into the evening, as well as food and inflatable games, which are always popular with the kids. It's the kind of event that needs to be planned months in advance.”
Activities rolled on into Sunday afternoon with a mall trip for students needing outfits for the next weekend’s Junior-Senior Prom and a water balloon/shaving cream battle between the girls on the Middle School lawn.
