From November 24th to 27th, both gyms and the weight room were filled with cheers, competition, and school spirit as students took part in the annual Hnatiw Olympics. This school-wide event brought gym classes together to compete against each other in a series of sports-based challenges over a two-day period. The event was planned and executed by Mr. Shelly’s Grade 12 leadership class.
This is the second year that this event has taken place. The Olympics are held in honour of Ms. Hnatiw, a former gym teacher at our school who sadly passed away. She always encouraged students to stay healthy and active, so a bit of friendly competition is the perfect way to honour her.
The first day began with an opening ceremony where the Grade 12s explained the schedule and structure of the Olympics. Then, students got into their teams and participated in some icebreaker activities. Because there is only one leadership class this semester, they had to run the activities every period, which required them to give up their spares and even time during other classes.
Day two marked the start of the sports event. Each team was split into two subteams that competed in badminton, volleyball, dodgeball, basketball, and spikeball. Teams rotated every 8-10 minutes to a new sport and a new opponent. Points were awarded based on if they won, lost, or tied. There was also a break room where participants could rest and recharge with snacks. This continued on day three of the event, with some sports shuffled around.
On day four, it was time for the closing ceremony. The winning teams in each period were announced, and they were called up to have their photo taken. Along with this, two MVPs from each class were selected based on their teamwork, participation, and performance during the activities. “It was fun to compete against other classes, but I can’t believe I didn’t win MVP,” said Agastya Gandhi, a grade 11 participant.
Overall, students had a great time competing in a well-planned and well-executed event. Let’s hope the Hnatiw Olympics go just as well next semester.
THE NORTH STAR 