On Friday, Aug. 20, a new tradition was started during lunchtime at NHS. Instead of students eating and leaving like usual, the hallways were filled with games and activities. Staff, as well as the NHS principal’s council, who helped plan and oversee the event, were hard to miss as they all wore matching Railer Family t-shirts on the first Gold Day, Friday. 

Some of the games offered included corn hole, darts, ping pong, burrito toss, ball toss and Spikeball. There was also a face painting station run by AP Studio Art students. One of the students helping with face painting was senior Noelle Buentello. 

“We are supposed to be experimenting with different mediums, so I volunteered in class. I had fun and I saw a lot of other people enjoying it as well,” Buentello said. “I think ping pong and face painting had the most people, I almost had too many people come get their faces painted. I think it would be a great thing to keep doing throughout the year.”

Soon after the event, the NHS social media pages were filled with pictures of students gathered in the commons enjoying themselves and participating in the games. Principal Caleb Smith said that at first students were a little shy but it eventually took off. He thinks that more and more students will take part in the activities as the year goes on. Assistant Principal and CTE Director Ben Reed also took part in planning the activities along with Assistant Principal Derek Bristol and P.E. teacher Tommy Edgmon. 

“Mr. Smith had the idea to have an opportunity for students to do something different during lunch now and again,” Reed said. “That conversation led us to the creation of Gold Day Friday Fun Days. There are more activities that will be added throughout the year, but we started with an assortment of games, face painting and music. We also reached out to StuCo President Caleb Koontz to partner on ways we can find for more students to be involved.”

According to Smith, the activities will take place on any Friday that is a Gold Day. Smith said that more games will be added as the year progresses. 

“We wanted to do something to boost student morale and something that is fun,” Smith said. “It is an opportunity for students to interact that normally do not as they play the games.”