High schoolers gathered for an evening of fun and relaxation at the Garden Party on Nov. 22. Hosted by the High School Student Council (HSSC), the campus buzzed with activities, including 3v3 basketball, a trivia game, and a cozy campfire topped off with marshmallows. 

Initially, due to the new school policy, the council packed their activities into a time period. Coincidentally, a few days before the party, the council figured out the middle school volleyball team would occupy the gym until 6:00 p.m.. HSSC president Tommy Jang said, “There was a lot of confusion. We had to change the whole schedule, and we had emergency meetings on whether we should cancel the party or not.” 

Despite last-minute changes, HSSC adjusted to the schedule change and kickstarted DIS trivia, the first event of the evening, in the presentation hall. The diverse genres of questions, ranging from school-related to common sense brought students together in a friendly competition for Starbucks gift cards. 

Students enjoyed the new improvement from previous parties. “I didn’t expect to be first since the questions were really difficult and it was also competitive. But I was really happy when I won and I really liked the customized medal and Starbucks gift card prize,” said junior Annie Cho, trivia first-place winner.  

For dinner, the council prepared a choose-your-own-dinner, with pizzas, tteokbokki, hotdogs, and grilled chicken skewers as options. Senior Aaron Shin said, “I really liked how you could pre-order the food and then you get it. So it was less chaotic.”  

Students enjoyed the diverse dinner options. “I really enjoyed eating the hotdog. The tteokbokki was a little bit spicy for me, and the pizza was pretty good too, but the hotdog was one of the best,” said freshman Claire Kim. 

After dinner, the 3v3 basketball tournament took center stage in the gym. With three to five players from each grade, the competitive matches hyped the crowd. Sophomore representative Noah Hwang said, “The 3v3 basketball was a lot of fun and although I didn’t perform really well, our team got first place.” 

However, the excitement momentarily faded as Ethan Rossmeisl, captain of the boys’ high school basketball team, twisted his ankle in the final match. Rossmeisl said, “In the finals, I twisted my ankle but I still played until the end. The injury was unlucky, it just happened at the wrong time.” In the end, the sophomores took first place in the boys division, and the juniors won first in the girls division. 

Meanwhile, bonfires crackled outside on the dorm patio, and partygoers trickled out of the Jetnasium to savor the creamy sweetness of roasted marshmallows and gaze at the sparks of fire. “[The bonfire] was such a good idea, especially since the weather was really cold so everyone snuggled around the bonfire. I had a fun time roasting marshmallows with my friends, too,” said Kim. 

Despite the obstacles during preparation, high-school students cooled down for the week with a jam-packed party. “The party was great. I was kind of sad that the party was cut short to 7:30 p.m. and I think if it went longer, it would have been a greater part, but even that, it was a fun party, and I thank all of the HSSC members for hosting the party,” said Shin. The council now sets its sights on the second semester as they plan to host more entertaining events.  

Gallery • 5 Photos

Sophia Bae

Juniors Niha Banerjee and Vivian Lee devour grilled chicken skewers to warm themselves up on a chilly evening. After finishing one, the rich flavor of the skewers leaves them craving more.