Colorful costumes and creative hats lit up the Phillips Academy campus this week as preparations for the annual Andover/Exeter competitions shifted into high gear. The Blue Key heads worked with Director of Student Activities Cindy Efinger to transform the traditional Exeter Geek and Blue Days into an entire week of Big Blue spirit, rather than only two days of festivities. The shift towards a Spirit Week was made in the hopes of getting students excited for Exeter Geek Day, the typical focal point of the week leading up to Saturday’s athletic competitions. The themes for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were, respectively, Crazy Hat Day, Hawaiian Day and Upside Down Inside Out and Backwards. These specific themes were chosen during the Blue Key meetings with Mrs. Efinger because, according to Mrs. Efinger, they were “fun things that students don’t have to work too hard at doing.” Reactions over the three extra days, however, have been mixed among Andover students. Although Justin Cahill ’04, a West Quad South Blue Key head, expressed disappointment that participation among students appeared lower than he had expected, Will Scharf ’04, an Abbot Blue Key head, was impressed by some of the spirit demonstrated. “Peter Accomando ’05 and Bill Beregi ’04 were both carrying around ukuleles [on Tuesday for Hawaiian Day],” he said. The Student Activities Office has also been selling T-shirts and other items in Commons to prepare for Andover/Exeter. The T-shirts, designed by Jisung Park ’04, a Pine Knoll Blue Key head, read, “We’re on a mission from … Gunga.” The words were inspired by the Blues Brothers theme chosen for Andover/Exeter that the Blue Keys deemed appropriate because of the school colors. Mrs. Efinger said of the T-shirts, “We still have some left, but they’ve been selling extremely well and we’ve definitely made our money.” Spirit Week will culminate tonight with the Pep Rally, organized around the Blues Brothers theme that the Blue Keys have been planning since orientation Blue Keys also have exciting events on the slate for the games on Saturday, including a brass band organized by Ben Heller ’05, which will play themes from the Blues Brothers movies. Fourteen buses leaving on Saturday morning will take a record number of Andover students to support teams at Exeter. The Blue Key heads will each take a different bus and will lead cheers to build up excitement.
