By AKASH ADANI, sophomore

ON OCTOBER 19, students and their families attended the third annual JP Day, a fundraising event that guaranteed a fun-filled afternoon for all. Clubs organized a variety of activities, ranging from face painting to karaoke, that appealed to all age groups.

The fundraising goal of $3000 was set to allow JP Stevens to buy class sets of Google Chromebooks and construct stadium seating for its outdoor theater. As an incentive to contribute, those who donated at least $20 were also entered into a raffle drawing for a chance to win a fifty-inch flat screen television.

Games and activities, along with music provided by the DJ Club, added to the pleasurable outdoor atmosphere where people found numerous fun activities in which to participate. Project Sunshine offered henna tattoos while the War Hawks had remote controlled robots that allowed participants to play miniature soccer. In the field, children and teenagers raced through an inflatable obstacle course. Talented artists of the Anime Club skillfully sketched caricatures of people in just minutes. Attendees also enjoyed watching spin art gyrate into masterpieces in front of their eyes as well as planting flower seeds.

Inside the school, the choir had set up karaoke with singers rising from the crowd to participate, singing songs like “ABC” by The Jackson 5 and “Hey Jude” by The Beatles. Badminton and volleyball courts were set up in the gym, allowing for friendly pickup games between teams of players.

In front of the orchestra was a podium with an inviting sign reading, “Conduct Us” where volunteers were given the opportunity to lead the orchestra. The musicians responded accordingly by changing their tempo and dynamics. Senior Cindy Lin, the mastermind behind this concept, derived this idea from a popular YouTube video created by Improv Everywhere. She mentioned, “I really love the types of videos they have. They do something unexpected which leaves viewers interested.”

Science Olympiad gave people the chance to create “gak,” a malleable semi-solid produced by mixing borax, glue, and food coloring. Hawkeye allowed participants to decorate cookies, and FCCLA allowed to decorate cupcakes in the family and consumer sciences classroom.

Other clubs also invited groups of people to participate in games of different kinds. Odyssey of the Mind attracted dancers and video game enthusiasts with hit video games such as “Super Smash Bros Brawl” and “Mario Kart” on the Nintendo Wii. In another room, people danced following an on-screen video game called “Just Dance 3.” In the cafeteria, FBLA had ping pong tables set up for those who wanted to try their hand at the sport. The Chess Club also attracted many people to play in strategic contests of the age-old board game.

Students who had recently graduated from JP returned to their high school to take part in JP Day and rekindle friendships with old classmates. Junior Srid Sriram observed, “JP Day fosters an integrating environment for students both new and old, and it’s a chance for club exposure.”

The success of JP Day was accredited to the many clubs that created the lively environment. Sophomore Eric Duong commented, “It shows how great of a time students can have when every club contributes.” JP Day was a successful fundraising event that not only raised money but also brought together peers and families in a memorable afternoon of fun and games.