Renaissance traditions have been around for hundreds of years, but English Honor Society’s traditions have only been around for three. The English Honor Society (EHS) and Dead Poets Society (DPS) held their third annual Renaissance Festival Sunday, Feb. 9 in the Educational Environmental Center (EEC). EHS co-presidents seniors Flora Ranis and Joanne Haner and DPS president senior Jana Kelly organized a week full of Renaissance activities leading up to the Renaissance Festival.
EHS kicked off the Renaissance-themed week Monday by decorating campus with hand made posters. Members decorated the posters in EHS advisor Mrs. Hendricks’ room with quotes from Renaissance writers like Shakespeare. The theme continued on Tuesday with a Shakespearean insult competition and bake sale. Anyone could compete at the battle and the winner, Kaitlin Cruz, won a chocolate bar and free entrance to the festival. Moving into Wednesday, EHS sold poetry grams for $1 without and $2 with candy. In total, the club sold 45 grams, with all the money supporting Sophia Hurtado. Thursday, EHS hosted a monologue competition in Mrs. Hendricks’ room. The winner, senior Julieta Peiretti, qualified to represent the school at the district level. Closing off the week on Friday, EHS members delivered poetry grams to classrooms and prepared for the festival on Sunday.
The festival had many activities planned for attendees including a face painting station, an area to write using a calligraphy pen, a canvas painting for anyone to contribute to, a flower making station using pipe cleaners and a booth to receive poems from EHS members. Along with that, the festival featured jousting with pool noodles and “Hamlet” and “Romeo and Juliet” scripts to perform. Later on, attendees at the festival split into two groups for a game of Jeopardy on Renaissance facts. Everyone on the winning team won a piece of candy while the team captain won a chocolate bar.
The winner from the monologue competition held earlier this week, Peiretti, performed, as well as the Poetry Out Loud winner, senior Catherine Gomez-Thompson.
Not only did the festival give people a way to relive the past, but it also benefited Sophia Hurtado. All money coming from the entrance fees, poetry grams and bake sale went to supporting the Hurtado family.
From donations to performances, the Renaissance Festival proved itself as a tradition worth keeping. “I thought it went really well even though it was a pretty small gathering,” Ranis said. “Everyone had a lot of fun, which is what matters.”
Attendees worked on a community canvas painting during the festival. They also created a poster for Sophia Hurtado signed with encouraging notes. (Photo/Catherine Gomez-Thompson)
