The Jay Center’s lights dimmed, and, without prompt, students began waving their phone flashlights in time to The TrebleMakers’ rendition of a Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars hit. Moments later, the space would be transformed by a raucous race of body surfing on gym mats that brought participants to the ground and spectators to their feet!
Whether feeling the love or laughing, John Jay High School's CommUNITY and Culture Day invited students into a shared experience. “We loved it,” ninth graders in art class the next day agreed, adding that they wanted to be more involved next year. “It was fun to be with everyone in the whole school.”
CommUNITY and Culture Day, held on February 12, is a multi-faceted event designed to support all students in feeling seen, valued and celebrated. It was hosted by two school organizations: LEAD JJ, advised by educators Steve DelMoro, Katie McCarthy, Tom Rizzotti, and Kristin Spiros; and the BEAT, which stands for the belonging, equity and advocacy task force, advised by Assistant Principal Mallory McDonald. The two leadership organizations involve nearly 100 students who helped shape and lead the event.
Students gathered by grade in the Jay Center and were immediately engaged in a head, shoulders, knees, toes & snatch contest. Everyone joined a small circle for Shirt & Tell - to share the story of their shirt. The energy hit the room’s rafters with a body surfing on gym mats competition, then came back to bleachers' level with Teacher Trivia and an opportunity to write a howler—a John Jay shout-out—to an educator they especially appreciated.
Lunch time was spent in the cafeteria, tasting the heritages that make up the John Jay community.
Students visited festive tables staffed by classmates and their families to sample French crepes and German obatzda, try Welsh apple cake and Columbian arrepa, enjoy Jamaican spice buns and Haitian chicken and rice, and more. They also had the opportunity to dance the bachata with classmates from the Dominican Republic; catch spinning tops in trompo, a game from Ecuador; and play carrom, a tabletop game from India.
The day closed with an all-school Pep Rally, emceed by the smooth voice of teacher Marc McAlley. It celebrated the school’s sports teams, robotics teams and student-run music groups, as well as the Wolves’ ready-for-anything attitude, and thoughtfulness.
Each sports team used their midcourt moment to present a howler to an adult who has made a difference to them. Secretaries Patricia Beneventano, Linda Binns, Natalie Bochenski, Joanne Cignarella, Deanna LaBarbara, Theresa Mcavey, Jackie Spinello, Lisa Valdes and Nancy West received bouquets with messages of thanks.
Spiros summed up CommUNITY and Culture Day.
“What happened in the cafeteria was all about what makes us unique,” said Spiros. “What’s happening here, in the Jay Center, is what brings us together—all the things the John Jay community has in common.”