Gallery • 1 Photos

Andrew Weigel

Blast week poster near the main office in the rotunda. "I really like the idea of a blast week, it shows the community that ponies really care," Nathan Anderson.

BLAST stands for be loving and sharing together and that is what BLAST week is all about; our school coming together to promote unity between all students, staff and culture. This is done through a bunch of new school wide activities and entertainment.

BLAST week is a fun way to bring the school together and unify the students and staff as one. By selling food and merchandise, hosting different events and of course, the pep fest at the end of the week, student council raises money and that money goes to the BLAST grants, which are given to the teachers who apply. Those applications are reviewed by all the members of student council , then they are voted on and grants are given to the teachers who best fit.

BLAST week takes place in the month of February, which is also known as Black History Month. BLAST week is also a way for SAHS and the students and staff in it, to promote cultural awareness while having fun with it.

“We are hoping for a week this year that brings the school together to promote positive school climate and have fun. We want to promote cultural awareness, promote health and wellness and build a positive school climate,” Social Studies teacher Molly Siebert said.

Many students look at BLAST week as a fun and entertaining week of the long school year but rather than being focused upon fun and entertainment, it is focused around the teachers. It is a way to give back to those who have given us so much.

Sophomore student council member Joe Sanderson said, “Homecoming week is more student body pep sort of ‘fun’ oriented whereas BLAST week is still very fun, this also allows students a ridiculously easy way to give back to their teachers and to their own education.”

A lot of work, decisions, prep and planning goes into such a fun week. Student council gets together and decides what we wear on what days, what food and merchandise is sold, and they plan the talent show and of course the pep fest. But they can not do it without the students that make it happen.

Compared to the previous traditions from past years, this year offers new activities such as, all day Friday speakers will come to the auditorium and tell their stories, a school wide talent show hosted on Friday and a recently added Sadie Hawkins dance the Saturday before to kick off the week.

Junior student council member Corri Gardner said, “The speakers tie into our theme of bringing our community together, or BLAST [be loving and sharing together] so we have a Native American speaker, a speech on Islam, a life lesson story teller, a student talent show, Laura Sobiech speech, etc. and lastly a pep fest at the end of the day.”

From cultural awareness and BLAST grants to new speakers and a Sadies dance, BLAST week tradition continues to unify the school as one. Senior student council president Eve Thompson said, “The goal is to bring the school together as a whole.”