On October 10th, the students and staff of New Hope Academy came together for our annual Fall Picnic. Participants departed from their respective campuses in school vans and staff vehicles around 9:30 a.m. and drove straight to Core Creek Park for a day of food, entertainment, and strengthening our community through shared school experiences. Some of the activities offered include, but were not limited to: card games, sports, painting, drawing, and our very own 50/50 raffle. Some students committed to one specific activity for almost the entire day, such as a tournament of Magic: The Gathering, a game known to frequently continue for hours on end.
Group activities, as well as sporting events, art stations, and tables full of musical instruments helped to gather individuals with a shared interest to engage with their hobbies and bond with peers who share the same passions. Many stations were also set up in order to gauge interest in potential clubs, events, and trips. As far as engagement goes, it was a total success, as recently established clubs roped plenty of new members into the collaborative machine that is NHA’s community. The school provided activities in a hands-on way so that students could learn new skills and hobbies through the experience.
It was announced that on our annual New York trip, we will be seeing The Outsiders: A New Musical. Based on the 1967 novel written by S. E. Hinton, the musical has taken Broadway by storm since its recent release. One student, who has asked to remain unnamed, was quite literally brought to tears at the announcement, since they are currently reading the novel, and are very passionate about it. As briefly mentioned, we also hosted a 50/50 raffle, which was won by one of our Doylestown teachers, Ryan Torres. He was given ten dollars by his daughter, and won twenty dollars in return, which he immediately put in his daughter’s piggy bank.
The Fall Picnic has been a longstanding tradition at NHA, and a tradition we plan to continue for the coming years. We also host an annual Spring Picnic, which is nearly identical to its autumnal counterpart. No matter what changes occur in events, students, staff, or anything that may happen during the school year, the fall picnic is an event to look forward to for everyone here at NHA.
kevin.reigner@newhopeacademy.net
