From senior year festivities to boat racing and ropes courses, Hackley students get the chance to participate in a range of engaging activities on the First Friday of the school year. Between Mr. Jed Dioguardi’s advisory winning the boat race after an exciting turn of events, and Layan Sow’s captivating speech about the pronunciation of her name, Hackley’s student body got to experience an exciting day that will go down in history.
An annual tradition on the Hilltop, “First Friday” is a day to bring students closer together through fun grade-wide activities. This day is a great way to kick off the school year with a break from typical academics for mentally and physically stimulating bonding activities.
The freshmen kicked off their first year at Hackley with an exciting day of scavenger hunts and boat building. To start off the morning, each advisory teamed up to complete a scavenger hunt around campus, where they collected a plethora of materials that would later be used to construct cardboard boats.
With clues leading from the science building to the Johnson Center, the freshmen got to run around campus, both bonding with their peers and gaining familiarity with the grounds. Later in the afternoon, each advisory used basic materials such as duct tape, cardboard, and scissors to build personalized boats that would later be raced in the Johnson Center Pool. With one person chosen from each advisory to represent their team in the race, the day capped off with a friendly competition in the pool.
“I thought the day was really fun and I got to hang out with a bunch of new kids who I didn’t know very well, which was cool,” said freshman Karen Adachi. Overall, boat racing was a smashing success, allowing new students and returners to connect!
The sophomores had a different type of First Friday activity: a physical challenge! They attended Boundless Adventures, an adventurous ropes course in Purchase, New York. Here, they got to climb a variety of courses ranging from easy to difficult. Including swings, ziplines, and climbing walls, Boundless was the perfect way to unite the sophomore class. At Boundless, they got to test their teamwork skills by climbing alongside their peers, along with their endurance and athleticism, which came with a full day of climbing.
“It was really fun to bond with my classmates, and the ropes course itself was very fun,” said sophomore Selila Fleck. Many sophomores loved their activity, and it was a refreshing break from the typical school day that still incorporated important life lessons.
The junior class spent their First Friday practicing their writing and public speaking skills, creating personal speeches to be shared in both individual homerooms and Diller Hall. To work on diction, volume control, and confidence, the speeches are a great way to ease juniors back into the academic world.
“At first I didn’t think it was going to be fun having to write, but I ended up really enjoying the personal aspect of it and liked hearing the rest of my grade’s stories,” said junior Emma Curran.
Having the chance to write about something personal that students care about was also a great way for the juniors to exercise their brains. Ranging from childhood stories to athletic victories, listening to each other’s stories allowed them to gain insight into their peers’ lives outside of the classroom.
Last but certainly not least, the seniors had a day filled with both fun and hard work. To start the day, they had a formal breakfast at the Gage House, also known as Mr. Charles Franklin’s home. Here, they got to enjoy a meal with the head of school and the rest of their classmates while talking about the year to follow.
Afterward, they headed into Allen Hall to work with the college counseling team on parts of the Common App. While the college process can be stressful, getting the chance to knock parts off the list while at school with their counselors was extremely beneficial.
“Without the college workshop, I wouldn’t have been able to accurately fill out my course selection, and it would’ve been much more of a hassle,” said senior Kareena Parasnis.
To cap off the day, the seniors spent the afternoon decorating their cars in the Johnson Center parking lot, accompanied by pizza and ice cream. Spending the afternoon drawing on each other’s cars with chalk markers and singing along to music blasted through the lot, the activity was a great way for the senior class to bond as they start their last year on the hilltop.
Filled with fun, friends, and food, the 2025-2026 school year’s First Friday was one to never forget!
