Boothbay Region High School students and staff are continuing Activity Day, an hour period on the first Friday of every month. Athletic Director Allan Crocker said the first time BRHS held the event was the day after the last PSATs, when teachers agreed a break from the stress was much needed.

“It's been an idea that's been thrown out there for years,” said Crocker. “But after the first Activity Day, they saw how well the kids responded to it and decided to try and make it the first Friday of every month.”

Students picked from a list of activities which included board games, cooking, dance, a jam session, Ultimate Frisbee, yoga and the classic study hall for students who just wanted to get some work done. The last Activity Day included kickball, open gym, origami and club activities. Principal Dan Welch said some of the more popular events were carried over.

“This healthy holiday snacks one is obviously seasonal, but I'm going to try to do something food related every month because I like to cook – and I like to eat,” said Welch. “We try to get a clue from the kids as to what they'd like to see and what the teachers would like to offer, too, because all the teachers kind of bring a little bit of their own personality to this.” Dance and board games were new additions, Welch added.

The jam session in the shop room was another carryover which featured teacher Chip Schwehm as the vocal lead for an impromptu Nirvana cover session, and a glorious revival of the garage grunge scene complete with the overhead doors.

Activity Day is a way to blow off some steam to end the week and to start off the month. Crocker said students and staff are hoping it will become tradition. “Right now the plan is to keep it going every first Friday of the month. We'll see.”