On the first day of March, over 200+ 6th to 8th-grade students attended a beloved BCS tradition: the Glow Party. This annual event featured dancing, singing, and eating, and is something that students look forward to every year. The special twist of this party is the unique glow-in-the-dark theme, adding excitement!
The Glow Party lasted from 5-8 p.m. in the Cafeteria. The space was transformed into a dance party space with all the lights in the cafeteria turned off, neon lights throughout, and glow-in-the-dark decorations to produce light and give off a party-like vibe. Students were given flashing glasses and other props to wear that glow in the dark to enhance the partying.
The Glow Party offered a much-needed break from all the hard work during the winter months. While the 7th and 8th-grade students already knew about the Glow Party, 6th-graders were delighted to find out such an exciting event was happening—and for just $5.
All who attended the Glow Party had lots of fun and almost everyone LOVED it–from the food, like empanadas, chicken tenders, and more to the dancing wildly and the DJ and to the cotton candy and props. Laughter could be heard throughout the cafeteria. Students were excited, screaming and jumping, smushed in with the other happy faces, munching on empanadas and cotton candy. “The party was really fun. The food was really good and I got to spend time dancing with my friends,” said Simon Kalmuss-Katz, a 6th grader at BCS.
Before the dance, the school gave out a survey so that people could request songs. Students were happy to hear their favorite tunes come on, rushing to dance and jumping up and down with their friends. The school hired a DJ who played a variety of music genres: pop, hip-hop, rap, and more. He would occasionally joke with the students, including one about defending himself when it came to the possibility that he might have been “killing the vibe.” Rowan Washabaugh, a 6th-grader, said he “liked the food, but there weren’t as many good songs” as he wanted.
While the glow party seemed far from anything related to the hard, rigorous school day, attending the party required being a good community member. Many teachers reminded students that they’d lose their Glow-Party privileges if they didn’t use the habits of a graduate, a series of rules students are expected to follow to ensure they are kind, collaborative problem solvers. These include being respectful and listening to others.
Near the end of the dance, the DJ asked everyone to turn on their phone flashlight and to hold it up, resulting in an interesting sight. In this area, your ears would pulsate from the loud noise. Miguel Pineda, a 6th-grader, said that the music was super loud.
“I feel like it was a good vibe! But it was so loud we couldn’t hear each other. My headache wasn’t bad, but it felt worse the next day,” Miguel stated.
One key attraction of the Glow Party was the photo booth where kids would choose from several silly props, like pink fedoras, huge glasses, and signs, and then take pictures with their friends. This attraction was one of the most popular. Several kids took photos throughout the night. Afterward, they would each get printed photo strips.
The photo booth attraction had a competitor—face painting. Students c
ould get their faces painted with glow-in-the-dark paint. Walking around the dance floor, it was clear that many kids had stopped to get face paint. You could see the patterns and designs on their faces. “The cafeteria was completely transformed,” said Tom Griffith, a 7th grade crew leader and 6th grade Science teacher. He helped sell tickets for the Glow Party and motivated students to attend the party. Some students would say they didn’t want to go, but Tom would help them realize how the Glow Party was a dance made just for them as middle school students. Tom said that this dance was a rare opportunity to have fun and take a break from school. He talked to kids about going and he got most of them to realize how important the dance was. So they came. “It’s really important that we have a diverse group of kids attending the dance.”
Tom shared, “Every one of the kids I talked to at least said, it was fun. It’s nice to have events like that—opportunities for kids to have fun. Not everything has to be about ‘learning targets’… I tried not to be pushy, but sometimes I called houses. Kids find their people at [the Glow Party] and hang out; that’s what makes it so fun. I think 6th graders like it because it’s so new. 7th grade likes it because there’s a sense of: ‘I’ve done this before…’ Everyone has something they like.”
Tom also noted that Christina B, a 7th-grade ELA teacher, has been planning the Glow Parties for the past 6 years. “She is an excellent party planner who coordinates the Glow Party. From helping with decorations and setting up tables to organizing attractions like face painting and photos. She does it all for the Glow Party….She’s amazing. She can plan a party like no one else.”
From the dancing to props to decorations to food to songs and much more, the Glow Party pleased many people from across the grades, bringing them an amazing experience they’ll have a hard time forgetting. Many teachers and staff worked very hard to bring the Glow Party to life and keep it functioning. Everyone should appreciate them for that. Not only them but all of your other teachers too.
