Schools
South Lakes Kicks Off Season With Block Party
Fun-filled event with music, games, food and friends to launch the school year.
Soaked to the bone but grinning ear to ear, Bruce Butler, South Lakes High School principal, emerged from the dunk tank courtesy of a bulls-eye launched by Lily Taylor, age 2½.
Was this really in the job description? Maybe not, but it was all in good fun as the South Lakes Seahawks Athletic Booster Club and the school's student Leadership Class launched the high school's 2010-2011 school year Saturday night with a block party on school grounds.
More than 400 students, parents and friends came out to eat, visit, listen to music, and play games prior to the football team's preseason scrimmage between the SLHS Seahawks and the Woodson Cavaliers.
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"This is an incredible turnout for a first-time activity," said Butler, starting his sixth year at the school. " I want to thank the Boosters, student leadership and Facebook—which I understand was how the kids spread the word."
Butler helped raise significant funds for the teams by numerous trips to the dunk tank.
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Student and other school volunteer groups gathered at tables to promote causes, sign up members, and to have fun.
The Athletic Booster Club, the event's major sponsor, is made up of Seahawk parents, members of the larger community, friends and students who play a vital role in providing support, volunteerism and much needed supplemental funding to the school's athletic program.
Boosters raise money year round through concession stand sales, spirit item and apparel sales, and corporate sponsorships and donations.
Athletes from various teams and clubs helped the Boosters Saturday night. Volleyball, golf and softball team members sold lemonade, cupcakes and snow cones. The Boy's Volleyball team, a new interest club at South Lakes, roasted marshmallows over a hot fire to make s 'mores. South Lakes Theatre boosters raised funds to send their young actors to Edinburgh Scotland in August, 2011. Books- A -Million sold fall semester English literature books.
At another table, "Seahawk Mentors" Chris Sheppard, Nathan Pool, Giles Howard and Mina Fawze were on hand to welcome and greet any rising freshman at the event.
"We are training 167 upperclass student mentors who will all be assigned four or five freshman," said Fawze.
The program to ease the freshman transition is a model in Fairfax County. Mentors work with their freshman mentees throughout the school year as they transition into high school many times forging lasting bonds and friendships.
New SLHS boys basketball coach Andrew Duggan manned a table.
"I am excited to be in my neighborhood school as I live in Fox Mill," he said. Mr. Duggan will also teach Health and Physical Education at South Lakes.
Students are energized to start the new year too.
"I'm going to get as involved as I can" said senior Anndi Liggett.
