Clare Collins ‘23 | Alex Gobran ‘23
Photo courtesy of Ashley Kennedy
During Spirit Week, overwhelming energy and excitement fills the air as students wait in anticipation for EA/AIS/Haverford weekend, one of EA’s most deep-rooted traditions. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, EA/AIS/Haverford weekend will not take place this fall, leaving the community without the traditional intense athletic competitions and packed stands. This cancellation disappoints members of the EA community, including athletes, coaches, supporters, and the senior class especially.
Reflecting on past EA/AIS/HAV days, Max Kelly ‘06, boys’ varsity water polo head coach and Upper School History teacher, says, “They are great opportunities to bring the school together. Starting the year can be hectic and chaotic, so to take a pause during Spirit Week is a great way to come together and celebrate our student-athletes.” From an athlete’s perspective, Ally Wilchusky ’21, girls’ soccer captain and co-leader of the Thunderdome, notes how the weekend is “filled with enthusiasm: [athletes] get [their] face painted before, and [athletes] all get ready together in [their] team rooms. There’s so much energy, and it’s probably one of my favorite days of the year.” Jill McEntee ‘21, girls’ varsity cross-country co-captain, reminisces about one of her favorite memories: “I think last year’s EA/AIS/Haverford weekend was amazing because the cross country girls crushed it on our own course. We also won the sweater and the banner, so it was extremely special.”
The EA/AIS/Haverford days uplift the entire EA community. Faculty, parents, and students rally together to support all the fall athletes in their final competitions. Seniors emphasize the greatness of school spirit as they look back at years past. Football player Malcolm Folk ‘21 states, “It’s probably the best day of the year. In the whole week leading up to the event, the campus is filled with great energy and great spirit.” This enthusiasm is felt collectively by the community, as Eliza Aldridge ‘21, girls’ varsity tennis captain, highlights, “The energy is always high, and everyone is cheering each other on, making tennis feel like a real team sport even when it’s only one or two people on the court at a time.”
EA/AIS/Haverford weekend has had a major impact on both students’ and teachers’ experiences at EA. Michael Letts, Head of Upper School, shares, “I think it’s nothing but positive. It helps bring us together. It reinforces all the things we value as a community.” McEntee highlights how it has been a large part of her EA experience since she was in Pre-K: “Looking back at past years is very nostalgic. It’s very interesting to reflect from a Pre-Kindergarten perspective, wanting to be the big kids and seeing how different sports would visit our classroom and do chants with us. All of my memories from EA/AIS/Haverford days are extremely happy and probably my favorite from all of my years at EA.”
With EA/AIS/Haverford weekend being such a special event, so much will be missed this year, from the electrifying Thunderdome, to the lively athletic competitions, to uniting as one big community. Seniors who have been looking forward to competing for the sweater and banner against EA’s rivals one last time are particularly devastated about the cancellation of the weekend. Wilchusky epitomizes how many members of the senior class feel: “It’s bittersweet. As a senior especially, I always dreamed of playing, winning, and having that final moment of glory.”
To remedy the negative feelings of the community and seniors like Wilchusky, the EA administration is attempting to restore aspects of this special weekend while also following pandemic safety protocol. Before the EA/Haverford football game, the school is planning to run a EA/AIS/Haverford chapel with the traditional senior boy and girl speeches. The student council is also trying to set up a Spirit Week to replicate some of the energy and excitement in the week leading up to the football game. While not every event from previous years will be able to occur, the school is working to maintain some traditions for the enthusiasm and camaraderie that they bring.
Moreover, after being asked what aspect he will miss the most, Letts says, “All of it — the competitions, the pep rally, the chapel. I love watching everyone compete and seeing all of [the students’] classmates rally around [them]. I’ll miss being together as a community in a large setting and seeing just how remarkable the students are. This place for me isn’t just a school, it’s a community.”