As jazz music and loud chattering filled the sanctuary at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, students filed into the pews for the opening day ceremony on September 2nd beginning the 2014-2015 school year. With the fading of the music, emcees Isaac Scobey-Thal and Mitesh Patel introduced the first speaker of the morning, senior Mari Milkie.

While welcoming the students back to school, Milkie introduced this years theme; unity. Following the commUNITY theme introduction, each senior involved in planning the assembly was asked to say a statement about Community High School starting with “Community because…”

Following the student statements, similar to past opening days, emcees Scobey-Thal, Oren Levin, and Alona Henig turned Brooklyn by Theo Katzman into a catchy song that would be remembered for weeks to be come. With the song stuck in the students heads, the new dean, Marci Tuzinsky–announced last week–was introduced and invited up onto the stage. As per usual the CHS staff were introduced with several new additions to the CHS family, some familiar and some new, and school clubs and extracurriculars were announced.

Continuing with the unity theme, members of the local community were invited to speak about the importance of working together. Other performances included an appearance by Bassic Sole, which included Lydia Krinke with tap shoes and Raven Eaddy on bass, and an original rap performed by CHS’ very own Average Johnson (Senior Jacob Johnson).

The student emcees wrapped up the assembly with the cheering of each class, including a whole school cheer session, lead by MC Kellz and Yung Nat, and an original acrostic poem written by the senior emcees. Once last thank you’s were said students were instructed to go to their forum rooms to officially start off the beginning of the school year.

Similar to past first days, the students and staff of CHS were invited to have a whole school picnic. However, this year Community assistant Kevin Davis and Secretary to the dean Christina Hicks decided to change a few components. Instead of having the picnic on the front lawn–facing the church–they decided it would be better to have it on the back lawn–facing kerrytown and evidently it was a good decision, at least it was for CHS’ new dean. “I loved loved loved seeing everyone on the back lawn today,” commented Dean Marci. In addition to the new picnic location, the type of food offered changed from a barbecue style lunch with hot dogs, hamburgers, and mac&cheese to jimmy johns sandwiches and frozen yogurt from Orange Leaf.

Although Dean Marci has been to the opening day ceremony multiple times since 1996, she said that she still got butterflies in her stomach. In addition to her favorite part of the ceremony, the opening moment, she really hoped that the students related to the ceremony in some way. “I hope every single person in the audience can connect with something they hear and find where they fit into Community High School cause there’s a place for everyone,” said Dean Marci.

Even though a new year can be nerve wracking, hopefully the ceremony gave the incoming freshmen some assurance that they will find a place at CHS and gave returning students some excitement for this school year.

Article by Natalie Potter
Photos and audio by Sophia Camp
*Audio was recorded seperately after the ceremony to assure audible clarity of the lyrics