The Smoke Signal

By: Staff Writer Jacinta Chang

As the night of MSJ’s Relay for Life continued on, students walked along the track lit with luminarias. However, much to the surprise of everyone present, the sprinklers along the perimeter of the field went off. Students, though taken aback, reacted extremely well to the situation. The Relay for Life committee gave it their all, throwing buckets on sprinklers and stepping on them to prevent tents from getting wet. Members of the committee threw themselves on the electronic equipment to shield the valuables from the sprinklers.

After the situation was under control, committee members went around making sure all the participants were okay, giving out warm clothing to those who needed it. Luckily, the sprinkler incident only served as a minor setback, and a few hours later, everything was back up-and-running.

Throughout the night, students engaged in several activities besides walking or running the track. Groups of students played a wild game of volleyball, while others sat down to watch the showing of The Avengers. At 1:00 AM, committee member Junior Ashna Guliani engaged students in dancing a line dance called the Wobble.

When dawn came, professional yoga instructors led students in a sunrise yoga routine, helping them to awaken their bodies and minds. Afterwards, the closing ceremony featured a guest speaker from the KC Foundation, a foundation started by a couple who had lost their daughter to ovarian cancer. The inspiring speech made by the father provided insight to students, and shared the touching story of his daughter’s battle with cancer. To close the ceremony, Senior Dana Gurion performed “Lego House” by Ed Sheeran on her guitar.

Students packed their bags and folded their tents, ready to head home after twenty-four hours of relaying for a cause. MSJ raised a total of over $43,000 that will be donated to the American Cancer Society, and had fun while doing so. All in all, MSJ RFL 2014 was truly an unforgettable event.

Photo: Courtesy of Kevin Nguyen