High grades for `battle of classes'

Spirit unlimited!

That’s what filled Mayor Joseph M. Polisena Stadium last Wednesday night during Johnston High School’s annual and unmatched Battle of the Classes.

Spirit unlimited came in form of every undergraduate filling the seats and cheering on their selected classmates who competed in 15 unique athletic-like events to see what class will be crowned Kings and Queens of Cherry Hill.

The Battle of the Classes, which is geared to generate school-wide spirit and serve as the official kick-off of Johnston High School’s annual fun-filled Spirit Week that began Monday with Neon Day and concludes tomorrow with the annual football pep really inside the Edward L. DiSimone Gymnasium and serves as a prelude to the annual Homecoming football game, parade and dance.

The Battle of the Classes, which requires athleticism, stamina, quickness in some cases, strength and many more tests of a young student’s mettle, is so unique that the winner will not be announced until Saturday night’s annual Homecoming Dance.

“Even after all the competition, the suspense continues to build as to what class actually won the Battle of the Classes,” offered Greg Russo, head of JHS’ Chemistry Department who founded and organized the highly-acclaimed event many moons ago. “It’s part of another great tradition here at Johnston High.”

Moreover, spirit unlimited came in form of almost every student – and actual representatives of the Classes of 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 – wearing either a customized t-shirt or colorful garb that their respective classmates created especially for the Battle of the Classes.

For example, the Class of 2022 – a.k.a. freshmen – had striking red t-shirts with the words Fiery Freshman on the front. The Class of 2019 had specially-designed t-shirts, too, that were done in Columbia blue, and black and white that are Johnston High School’s official colors.

All Star Sophomores and Jaws Juniors were the slogans on the front of students that represented the Classes of 2021 and 2020 in the actually on-field competition that began with a super spirited one-mile relay race that featured four boys and four girls.

There were many memorable moments during each and every one of the other events that were named the Saran Wrap Wrap that required four-student member teams, a Sack Race, Walk the Plant, Hula Madness, Animals on the Run, Ready Steady, Over/Under, Reindeer Run, Eat and Run, Dizy Izzy, Plunger Pass, Order’s Up, Tug of War and Game 15 that was entitled Attendance of Classes.

“Attendance counts as an event based on the percentage of the class that attends Battle of the Classes,” Russo, who again did a super special job in serving as the public address announcer during all the events, offered. “Tickets purchased for family members and friends during school also counted towards the percentage.”

As Russo further pointed out, “tickets purchased at the gate do not count towards the actual percentage.”

Which is, as many people suggested during and even after the event: “too bad seeing is how this place is so packed there’s no where to move.”

Cutlines for pix on sheets slugged 10-15-18 1430

BATTLE 1 IMG 7395