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Isabella Marsh

Eager students line up at the entrance to the BTSD, barricaded by plastic dividers so Redwood staff can check them in.

On the evening of Friday, Aug. 22, the start of the school year commenced with a tradition, equal parts reunion and celebration: the Back to School Dance (BTSD). To honor the first weekend of the 2025-2026 school year, students overflowed the quad from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. under pulsing strobe lights and hours of upbeat music. Setting a lively tone for the upcoming months, the BTSD was filled with a photo booth, ice hockey tables, dance floor and DJ. Students danced in the crowded frenzy for the duration of the dance.

Unlike the formal atmosphere typically associated with events like Homecoming and Prom, the BTSD is characterized by its rather casual and active environment. Leadership teacher Melissa Boles emphasized the event’s staggering scale and consistent popularity.

“The energy and participation continue to astonish us each year,” Boles said. 

The BTSD is coordinated by the Associated Student Body and Leadership class, and its early placement in the academic calendar sets it apart from other dances, and sets the tone of school spirit for the year. Boles emphasized that despite comparatively less structured planning, the BTSD consistently garners the highest level of student engagement.

“We are convinced this is the largest dance in Marin. I’m genuinely proud that our school community sustains this tradition annually,” Boles said.

Students from all grade levels expressed similar enthusiasm for the event. Upperclassmen, distinguishable by their class jerseys, congregated at the center of the quad to participate in the evening’s most spirited moments, as favored by junior Paige Crawford.

  “Walking around with the jerseys, it feels like a community,especially with the mosh pit, [and] we never fail to have so much fun all together,” Crawford said.

For seniors, the occasion was undertoned with both celebration and nostalgia. Senior Ashley Ball attended her final BTSD this year and expressed gratitude for the event.

“I love being a senior here. It’s a lot of fun with seniority and blowing whistles,” Ball said. “You really get to experience being with all of Redwood and see people that you don’t see day to day, especially when interacting with underclassmen.”

  Underclassmen, like Freshmen Edward Cummings experienced the dance for the first time, describing it as both welcoming and memorable.

“It’s enjoyable. I had a great time, and it’s a valuable bonding experience between upperclassmen and freshmen. I’ve met new people, and everyone is very friendly,” Cummings said.

Junior Calado Fazal noted that the BTSD’s strength is in its ability to reunite classmates following the summer hiatus.

 “It’s enjoyable to reconnect with friends and experience the music together. The sense of community here is so special, which makes me really appreciate Redwood,” Fazal said.

As the evening concluded and students departed, the BTSD reaffirmed its status as one of Redwood’s most spirited traditions, kicking off the months to come on an energetic, and memorable note.