Eaglebrook Celebrates Winter Carnival with a Dash of Innovation

It may be Eaglebrook’s second-oldest tradition, but that doesn’t mean that Winter Carnival isn’t open to a little innovation, especially in the face of a sudden winter storm.

Pocumtuck Ridge had been blessed with ample snowfall and sub-zero temperatures for most of January. But on Friday, January 31, a blustery mixture of snow, sleet, and rain forced the school to move the Klondike Race and tug-of-war to Gates Quad.

The close confines produced a festive atmosphere as Klondike racers negotiated tight turns, frequently spilling their passengers onto the snow. Instagram polling confirmed the general opinion that the tug-of-war was tilted in favor of the teams at the bottom of the hill.

The weather also forced the postponement of the Cardboard Sled Race to Tuesday night. The races at the Easton Ski Area featured fast runs accelerated by the icy conditions of the hill, and a top-speed performance by Team Magic School Bus, whose trio of passengers dashed across the finish line and then broke through the fencing at the bottom of the hill.

The music was followed by the world premiere of Hiemis Bestia Has a Request, an original Eaglebrook production written by Ms. Syers and Mr. Jodka that is based on the content of an all-school survey that students completed at the beginning of the winter trimester. The students shared examples of Eaglebrook slang, wrote about the dreams they have at night, and talked about life on the hill in December and January. The result was a wintry mix of surreal comedy and deep reflection.