The 7th grade Blue Team at JFK Middle School came together for an afternoon of fun, teamwork and school spirit during a special assembly celebrating October's character trait of the month: Pride.
Co-hosted by Assistant Principal Anthony Murray and Principal Erin Hayes, the event featured a variety of engaging team challenges designed to strengthen connections among students while earning valuable points for the Blue Team in the school's yearlong character competition.
The assembly was organized by the JFK Counseling Center in collaboration with the school's Character Education Committee. Each month, students gather by grade level to participate in activities and discussions centered around one of eight essential character traits that JFK promotes throughout the school year.
October's focus on pride provided the perfect opportunity for students to showcase their achievements, enthusiasm and support for one another through a series of friendly competitions. Laughter and cheers filled the room as students took part in activities including a hula hoop toss, Name That Tune, Heads Up, and a middle school-themed version of The Price Is Right, where contestants guessed the costs of familiar items such as Nintendo Switches, Odwalla beverages and Starbucks Acai Refresher products.
One of the most anticipated moments of the assembly was a recreation of the viral TikTok drum challenge, in which participants attempt to strike a drum at the exact right moment during Whitney Houston's rendition of "I Will Always Love You." Seventh grader Macie Guarnieri wowed her classmates by perfectly timing the challenge, earning applause from the crowd.
At JFK, students are divided into Blue and Gold teams that compete throughout the school year. Each monthly character-focused activity provides opportunities to earn points, with the overall winning team being announced at the end of the year after scores from all competitions are tallied.
Most importantly, the event gave students a chance to come together, celebrate their accomplishments and demonstrate pride in themselves, their classmates and their school community.
Next month, JFK students will turn their attention to the character trait of Responsibility as the yearlong competition continues.
