(Courtesy/William Dn.)
Columbus Academy held its annual “First” Friday tailgate from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. hosted by the Class of 2029 and their advisors on Friday, September 19. While the “First” Friday tailgate tradition normally takes place before the first home Football game, this year was different as the annual Charlie David dinner preceded Academy’s home opener on Friday, September 5, leading to students calling it the “Second First Friday.” Nevertheless, the tailgate was like any other with activities around the Senior Quad to foster Academy Spirit.
The tailgate kicked off at 5:30 p.m. as students helped themselves to the self-serve “Walking Taco” line, staffed by freshman advisors, offering a choice of Fritos and Doritos, taco meat, chopped lettuce, sour cream, cheese, and jalapeños. A selection of cookies for desert and water cups were also available to relieve thirst on the warm, sunny fall evening.
Tables were set up outside Morris Hall, topped with two bowls of white and maroon paint, brought back the traditional sign-making activity for another year as students took cardboard from a stack of discarded boxes to create signs to use when cheering for the football team later in the night. From words of encouragement like “Let’s Go Vikes” and “CA” painted in vibrant colors to internet-meme-inspired slogans full of the numbers 6 and 7, sign making was an excellent way to bring the community together and cheer on the Vikings as one.
More activities on the Senior Quad included numerous cornhole boards and an assortment of footballs for students to enjoy. Everyone was fully decked out in white in accordance to the white-out theme, having fun and participating in group cheers before heading out to Hondros Field to watch the game against the Worthington Christian Warriors.
This year’s “Second First Friday” tailgate proved that it’s not the date nor the name that makes an event memorable and exciting, but rather the energy and spirit that the students of Columbus Academy brought to it. With food, games, activities, school spirit, and plenty of fun, the traditional “First” Friday tailgate, hosted by the Class of 2029, proved a runaway hit in creating deeper connections between students and uniting the Viking community as one.
