Students from San Dieguito Academy gathered in front of the Performing Arts Center for a barbeque preceding the Comedy Sportz game on Sept. 14. The event included lots of food, music, and games.

The event was hosted by the Senior Citizens Club.  The club is “…designed to plan fun events that bring our school…together and promote school spirit. We want to make freshman feel as special and at home as we did our freshman year because the seniors were so friendly and open,” said senior Dhyana Buckley, a member of the Senior Citizens Club.

According to Buckley, the barbeque event was intended, “…to promote people who may not have gone to a [Comedy Sportz] game before to come and see what it was like while also being able to meet new people and have a burger or hotdog, play some football, and listen to music before the game. We just want everyone to feel comfortable talking to us [seniors], asking for help if they need it or just be their friend.”

The attending students had opportunities to talk to different people as they gathered around the tables covered in cookies, lettuce, condiments, snacks, and coolers full of different types of soda. Senior grill masters Kyle Carter and Gabe Cemaj cooked burgers and hot dogs for the students. Junior Jack Pittsford was one of the students who took advantage of the social environment: “I saw a lot of people I knew and a couple people I got to introduce myself to,” said Pittsford.

Music was playing throughout the event. At first, it was played through speakers in front of the Performing Arts Center. Later, two of the members of the band Decibella, seniors Betty Huang and Elly Oltersdorf, set up microphones and guitars on the stage to perform both covers of songs and original songs. Many of the students who attended danced to the music or sat on the grass and listened. Freshman Gina Checchia especially liked the live music: “My favorite part was when people were singing.  They were pretty good.”

As the event progressed, multiple organized games broke out.  Groups of students played Frisbee on the grass, a game of tag was initiated, and a large game of football started about halfway through the event.

Students felt that the event encouraged a sense of community among the students.  “It was really cool, especially because my sister is a freshman.  You could feel good vibes from everyone who was there. There was SDA spirit and it felt communal,” said junior Nick Checchia.

The event was funded by the members of the Senior Citizens Club.  “The seniors donated all the food, drinks, plates, cups, grills and anything else that was there from their own money,” said Buckley.

There were students from all grades present at the event.  Senior Citizens Club Advisor, Kevin Witt, was pleased with the number of students that came to the event. “There was a great turn-out, especially for the short notice. I was pleasantly surprised. I was pleased with how many underclassmen came,” said Witt. He thought that the barbeque event was a solid foundation for future events.

More Senior Citizens hosted events are likely to take place throughout the year.  “I am extremely excited for our next events because if that was just our first one I bet even more people will come which is exactly what we want.  I’m confident that there will be lots more events like this,” said Buckley.

“As of right now, there is potentially going to be a “Bond Fire”, which would be a beach fire off campus,” said Witt.