Middle School Advisors Compete With Costumes and Cups

Middle school advisory groups, consisting of a small group of students and one faculty member, meet four times per week. They get to know each other throughout the year and form a trusting relationship with their faculty advisor through sessions addressing academic skills like time management and executive functioning, along with games and activities. Overall, advisory allows students to receive support as people as well as learners.

This year, the advisory program is going a step further to encourage camaraderie among advisory groups and middle school students as a whole by introducing some friendly competition. Teams, each consisting of one grade 6, one grade 7 and one grade 8 advisory group, will compete and collaborate in different games and challenges throughout the year. Each team is assigned a color and is encouraged to create its own personality through chants, flags, walkout songs and other group traditions to be carried through the year. Teams will earn points during each activity, competing for a grand prize to be awarded at the end of the school year.

Setting the tone of enthusiasm and excitement, advisors arrived at school on Friday, Sept. 12, decked out in their designated advisory team colors for the first point-earning opportunity this year. Faculty members representing each advisory team engaged in a competitive cup-flipping game as students cheered them on. After a quick elimination round, the green team, represented by Mr. Drew Petty, Mrs. Leann Wood and Dr. Ben Ozenberger, was determined as the winner.

Activities like this one encourage students to match the enthusiasm of their teachers, and to show up with plenty of energy for the next team activity.