Commstock has a long and complex history at Community High School. The annual event used to be much larger; thousands came from the larger local schools to listen to local bands and enjoy festivities. Then it spiraled. Large crowds led to inevitable problems and it was shut down for the next few years.

When Commstock started up again, it was small at first with only about a dozen in attendance. But last year, due to months-long planning and a large effort by Forum Council many students came, most drawn by offers of free ice cream, to enjoy live music and activities. There were bubbles, cornhole, tacos and more. The success of Commstock means that it can continue, hopefully for many more years.

Now, Forum Council is working again to plan a fun Commstock. The first planning meeting kicked off with students sharing what they enjoyed most from last year in order to assess what worked and what did not. Some favorites were the diversity of music, the food and face painting.

Forum Council members also threw around some adjectives they would like to describe Commstock and how students feel while attending. Students threw out phrases such as “Serendipitous nausea,” which students translated as the feeling one gets from going on a tire swing while full.

The rest of the hour was spent tossing around new ideas for Commstock. Students agreed that they would like Forum Council to have more ice cream social vibes, with more organized games. This might also include activities such as a dunk tank, a bouncy castle and a cotton candy machine. Some students proposed working with clubs or classes to provide entertainment. One example was the possibility of working with the engineering class to make a trebuchet that would propel a rubber zebra (one such zebra has been located).

Forum Council also talked about adding a fundraising element to Commstock. This might entail having clubs run games or booths, and donating or keeping the money for club activities. This would allow clubs to raise money while also gaining student interest.

While still continuing to gather ideas for Commstock, Forum Council will break into smaller focus groups next Monday: food, music, outreach and games. Each of the groups will have separate tasks and responsibilities to ensure that Commstock goes off without a hitch.