A Fun Afternoon in The Lou

Upper School students enjoyed a fun, St. Louis-themed Friday last week with activities, special food, and spirit. Activities Committee Co-Heads Hala Nazzal ’24 and Ava Moore ’24 worked with their committee and school administrators to plan an afternoon of enjoyment in lieu of our usual winter formal. They collaborated with Flik for a lunch of local favorites, including barbecued ribs, toasted ravioli, and gooey butter cake. After lunch, students enjoyed carnival games like ring toss and Plinko in the North Gym that came with small prizes for winners, and special treats such as Fitz’s rootbeer, kettle corn and Gus’s Pretzels. Outside, students could enjoy games of Spikeball and cornhole. The movie Ice Age played in Brauer Auditorium. Everyone sported their favorite “STL gear,” with Cardinals and Blues jerseys and MICDS spirit wear being the most popular way to show love for The Lou.

Nazzal and Moore were pleased with the afternoon. They said, “After hearing the unfortunate news that we would not be able to have winter formal or our backup plan of winter festival, we were brought the idea of an STL Day as a replacement. From there, the activities committee got to work on putting together a fun day filled with Saint Louis spirit, and as hoped, the event reached its expectations of fun. We were surprised how well it brought our community together, which brought the idea of STL maybe becoming an MICDS tradition that is celebrated annually.”

Peyton LaMartina ’22, a Student Council Co-Head, agreed. She said, “I enjoyed Saint Louis Day because it was an opportunity to make the most of our time together and have a little bit of a break in the day. It is always exciting to see the entire school come together and celebrate, even in the cold weather.”

“It was great to see so many people, kids and adults alike, enjoying the company of each other while celebrating some of what makes St Louis a great place to live,” said Ninth-Grade Dean Chris Ludbrook.

“It was really warming to see everyone in their spirit wear repping our teams and our city in class and in the halls,” said Jackson Strelo ’22, the other Student Council Co-Head. “Community is a big thing here at MICDS, and St. Louis Day was a reminder that the importance of community extends beyond the doors to our school.”

Head of Upper School Scott Small also appreciated how the afternoon brought the community together. He said, “I thought it was a great event, especially for our younger US students. It was great to see students eating local favorite snacks, playing games, laughing, and just enjoying each other’s company.”