Instead of beginning a typical Wednesday with last-minute test cramming and Mills uniforms, the Class of 2014 put on their Spirit shirts and athletic shorts in preparation for a highly anticipated Senior Day on October 14.
Through the culmination of the class council’s efforts and planning, this year’s Senior Day was packed with activities.
The community service projects varied from reading to elementary school children to washing faculty and staff cars at the middle school campus. Two groups were involved in food preparation; one delivered paninis to the Wyllie Street fire station while another made fried rice for the school’s maintenance staff. Senior adviser Ross Mukai led the organization of these activities. He noted that while not everything went as smoothly as planned – for example, the car wash group did not have enough supplies – “you gotta do what you gotta do with what you’re given.”
The community service projects varied from reading to elementary school children to washing faculty and staff cars at the middle school campus.
The senior class council used the fall break to plan for the day. Class president Walden Butay, who was away on the England school trip during the break, said of his council, “The girls planned this…Jolie, Carly, Amanda, Zoe..I must say [that] they did a pretty impressive job. So in total, [planning took] basically the entire break.”
After the service projects were done, the Class of 2014 boarded buses to head down to Kaka’ako Waterfront Park where bentos were distributed to them by the council. Fueled by lunch, students regathered in their groups for the assortment activities the council had planned for them.
From 12-legged races to eating an onion whole, the students laughed and screamed encouragement at each other as their groups competed in one giant race. Every part of the race required team members to work closely with each other. “What we hoped from that is that people would associate themselves with people that they don’t normally talk with and with the games, it would sort of tighten that relationship with people,” said Butay.
When it came to cardboard sledding, the seniors were eager to add their own flair when it came time for competition. Faculty judges rated team representatives for style, entertainment, and speed. Senior Kimo Tago represented his team as the candidate for Most Entertaining. “My favorite part,” he said, “was faking my fall on the gravel and actually falling. It was funny.”
In the final game, students were put to the test in a Hunger Games-inspired activity. The object of the game was to collect as many fruit as possible. Each fruit, depending on the type and size, carried a different value. Some students huddled at their bases to defend their fruit while others went to other teams’ bases to steal their fruits.
Assessing the day, senior Jennifer Bunch said, “I liked the games. The games were fun. They encouraged teamwork. I talked to people who I don’t talk to usually.” Butay said that it was important that seniors give back to those who have served them. “We don’t want to the senior class to be looked at as self absorbed,” he said.
