The 2025-2026 Blue Key Heads explained the audition process to Uppers
interested in the position in Susie’s last Friday
With the advent of spring comes the auditions for the 2026-2027 Blue Key Heads, offering students an opportunity to embody school spirit and enliven the campus. The current Blue Key Heads hosted a meeting with interested Uppers in Susie’s last Friday to explain the audition process and answer questions.
Many students, such as Gabbie Kawooya ’27, have looked up to Blue Key Heads as role models and aspire to take on their responsibilities. Kawooya expressed her motivation for auditioning to become a Blue Key Head.
“I’ve wanted to be a Blue Key Head since my freshman year. I’ve always found them to be very upbeat, and they always bring sunshine to people’s days. Specifically, I enjoy going to sports games, supporting teams and all the people who compete for Andover Athletics. As a Blue Key Head, it would be really fulfilling for me to be at the forefront of cultivating the sports community, getting people to come to games, leading orientation, and all these different things that are about being fun and bringing some brightness to people’s days.” said Kawooya.
Similarly, Enrique Mercado ’27 highlighted how a former Blue Key Head had inspired him to apply for the role.
“[Adaora Mbanefo ’24] was [here] my freshman year. I remember talking to her so much about it, and she was genuinely one of those people [who] would always brighten my day, and I feel like she embodied the role of Blue Key Head so well. That inspired me so much,” said Mercado.
The Blue Key Head audition traditionally gives applicants ample creative freedom. Kawooya described her initial thoughts going into the process.
“I have a lot of ideas for the audition, and where I’m stuck right now is there’s a lot of different little things I want to do and incorporate in. In my years of performing, the one thing I’ve come to expect is that my best ideas normally come in the moment when I’m in front of the crowd, just doing my thing. I want it to feel pretty natural and not too scripted. I’m not really a big improv person, which has always been the one thing I always get a little tense about. But I think this will definitely be good for getting me out of my comfort zone, trying something a little new,” said Kawooya.
Jack Farrell ’26, current Blue Key Head, reflected on what inspired him to apply for the role last year.
“It came down to my love for this school and my love for the athletics here… I would go to games and stuff, and it would be pretty empty, there wouldn’t be a lot of people there. I felt that if I were in this position, I would be able to have more influence over getting people to show up to games and cheer on their classmates and peers. That part of being influential was really the deciding factor,” said Farrell.
Maddie Greenwood ’26, another current Blue Key Head, reflected on how the Blue Key Heads are meant to synergize with each other and emphasized the value of being approachable.
“Every Blue Key Head contributes differently to the group, and everyone plays to their strengths. For me, just being a friendly face on campus, saying hi to people, smiling to people, and just the little things that on a day-to-day [basis] for students make a difference… If you can welcome those people and make them feel comfortable however you can, it goes a long way,” said Greenwood.
Farrell noted that confidence is key to performing the role well.
“The best trait you can have is confidence. You spend so much time in the spotlight and so much time embarrassing yourself that you have to have that security and self-confidence where you can do whatever in front of whoever and still be happy with yourself,” said Farrell.
Greenwood offered advice to prospective Blue Key Heads, underscoring the importance of not conforming to others’ expectations.
“Be yourself no matter what… You have to know that what you’re doing is for our community, and what you’re doing matters. Don’t try to be someone else. Just act how you know how to be, and that’s usually when the most efficient outcome happens. You interact with the community, and you lead the student sections in the ways that you know how,” said Greenwood.
