A rumble of cheers sounded when the Archer community reported to the backfield volleyball courts to watch the senior versus faculty volleyball game Friday, Oct. 21. This game was part of Color Clash and was the first of many senior-focused events for the year.

Last year, Student Council held three separate events during Color Clash — an event they run each year to encourage school spirit — such as kickball and basketball. Executive Board member Alyssa Ponrartana (’23) said Student Council decided to combine the volleyball game with Color Clash this year to bond the community with “less chaos” than the previous year.

“This is our first spirit event, discounting First Fridays,” Ponrartana said. “I hope with this, the new members of the community can realize what Archer spirit really looks like.”

Color Clash centers on the outfits worn by the community and the spirit shown during the game. This year, seniors, sophomores, eighth graders and sixth graders wore red, whereas faculty, juniors, freshmen and seventh graders wore black. The more decorative and spirited the student was, the more tickets they could earn as spirit points. These points will accumulate into a larger prize at the end of the school year.

Nine seniors and seven faculty faced off in the match with a majority of the student body, faculty and staff in attendance. The senior class won the game 2-1, and the students wearing red erupted with cheers.

Seventh grader Arissa Lalani plays volleyball for Archer, and she said she enjoyed seeing the seniors and her coach, middle school volleyball coach and history teaching apprentice Jillian Glynn, playing against one another, as well as hearing the community bond over the game.

“This was one of the biggest spirit events for the beginning of this year,[and] I felt a lot of energy during this one,” Lalani said. “I’m really excited to see what the energy is in the coming ones, especially since it’s only the beginning of the year.”

Throughout the year, Student Council hosts events to honor the senior class’s journey and unity as a grade. As the class is currently in the midst of the college application process, Ponrartana said senior events are crucial to reconnect the class.

“We need these senior-centric events to bring us together and remind us this is our last year,” Ponrartana said. “Even though, right now, it seems like it’s the end of the world [with college applications], we’re really going to miss each other.”

Assistant Librarian Denise Hernandez is advising the Student Council for the first time this school year. As sixth and seventh grade Student Council representative elections are around the corner, she said spirit events such as the senior versus faculty volleyball game are a great way to encourage interest to join.

“We have a student life board that’s right outside the dining hall, [so] keep your eye out [for spirit events],” Hernandez said. “This is a great way to build community with people in your class [and] across grade levels. They just have to take advantage.”

Student Council is preparing for future events such as Halloween and Winter Wonderland to bring more spirit to the community.

“The larger community better be prepared for all the spirit events we have planned,” Ponrartana said, “because this is just the start.”