By Kerrick Shaw

Photo Courtesy: Mrs. Christina Burkhart

Tables have turned with teachers now running the halls playing games of their own. 

Started by associate principal Frank Sundry, High School staff members have been taking part in a faculty-wide camaraderie building game, separated into five teams with each competing against the others in different activities. 

Mr. Sundry formed this game for the staff as a team-building exercise to help form stronger relationships between them all.  

“For a school to be successful, you have to hold a positive culture,” Sundry said. “People have to enjoy coming to work; enjoying your work and your time spent with peers and coworkers has a positive effect on the classrooms, as well as teachers and students.” 

So far, they have proven to be a success amongst the staff. Starting with only about sixteen participants, just the first activity doubled that number. 

“I think once everybody realized what it was, we were all enthusiastic,” Librarian Mrs. Carrie Vottero said. “It has made us all have fun with each other, which we don’t really get to do. … It has made everybody feel like we are on a team together. … It’s just a great idea.” 

Fitting Sundry’s goal, participants find the game to be beneficial for their everyday lives. An important result is the communication it has brought between those who don’t normally get to speak, commonly from separation between floors. 

“It’s definitely good,” Physics teacher Mr. Christopher Gazze said. “I’ve interacted with more people, people that I usually wouldn’t; whether it’s in person or over chat. It’s really nice.” 

Regarding the games themselves, there is an almost consecutive favorite out of them all so far – that being the original. Somewhat of a scavenger hunt, each team hid GS logos throughout the school and searched for the others, the end goal being to find other team logos and keep your own hidden. 

As of right now, whether the game will be long-term or not is uncertain, as there are still factors that need to be ironed out. 

“The toughest task right now is the frequency,” Sundry said. “You don’t want to do it too much and over saturate, but you also don’t want to do it so little that people lose interest.”  

After everything regarding staff is set in stone, like the times for each activity, he said the plan is to eventually include students in the games. However, he is unsure when that could end up happening. 

As of now, the game has absolutely proven to be a hit with the teachers and will only keep growing in participation. Hopefully as years go by it will serve as a tradition among the staff. 

“We all say that it does,” Mrs. Vottero said when asked if the game has a future. “It’s just like a lesson: the first time you do it it’s only like a run through, but you know you’re going to do it better the next time. I absolutely think everybody would like to see this be something that sticks.”