Photos: Mark Moss/Harisch Studios, Michael Batten '10
Maroon and Blue Day - A Total Blast!
Perhaps no event serves as a greater example of the spirit of the Xavier community than Maroon and Blue Day. The premise is simple: different class years form opposing teams, the Maroon and Blue teams, who then compete against each other throughout the day, in a variety of activities and challenges. At the end of the day, the team who won the most activities receives an extra dress-down day at some point during the year. Though many enjoy the competition, the challenges and winners of Maroon and Blue are secondary to the true purpose of the day: to unite students, faculty, and staff, and to celebrate the Xavier community in a school-wide setting separate from class.
As he has for many years, Mr. Renzo Ventrella ’92 served as the MC for Maroon and Blue Day. The day began in the gymnasium, where students and faculty participated in costume and pie-eating contests, as well as dodgeball and tug-of-war. After this, students were free to wander the Xavier buildings, as well as on West 16th Street between 5th and 6th avenues, which was closed off to all vehicles. Outside, students played flag-football, climbed rock-walls, and jousted one another on floats, while inside, they sang karaoke and played board games. Xavier parents attended to food and drink in the Tirelli Quadrangle, where class years assembled to feast on hot dogs and sodas. All members of the Xavier community—students, parents, faculty, staff—had a great time.
Maroon and Blue Day was planned by Director of Student Activities Ms. Johanna Tanzman and the Student Leadership Council. Together, they scheduled the activities and spent long hours beforehand preparing the events of the day. Ms. Tanzman said, “The Student Leadership Council was a huge part of the success of Maroon and Blue Day. Thanks to them, it truly was a student-led demonstration of school spirit.”
Part of the day was planned by Michael Adams ’15, who serves on the Student Leadership Council. “It was a huge success, and I believe that everybody had a good time,” Adams said. “For me, doing karaoke was a blast!”
At the end of the day, everybody returned to the gym where Maroon and Blue Day first began. After a game of “Xavier Feud,” Family Feud but Xavier-related, the winners of Maroon and Blue Day were announced. It was the Blue Team, but judging by the sheer smiles shared among students, faculty, and staff throughout the day, all had truly won.