On March 21, the South Lawn was transformed into a vibrant hub of activity as Leadership students organized the school’s annual “Red Fest,” a lunch-time celebration filled with food, games, music and an abundance of Redwood spirit. Students flocked to the event throughout the day, eager to participate in a diverse range of activities, creating a sea of red as they enjoyed the festive atmosphere.
Redwood’s Leadership class was the driving force behind Red Fest, dedicating hours of effort to bringing their vision to life. Renata Lionetti, the junior class president, explained the collaborative nature of the project.
“We all work as a class when it comes to big events like this. Basically, what happens is we’re split into committees. For example, [junior] Lily Skinner and I were on food and communications,” Lionetti said.
Lionetti also highlighted the significance of Red Fest in fostering school unity and community amongst the diverse student body.
“Red Fest is really fun. It’s been going on for the past two years,” Lionetti said. “We’re trying to unify the school by having activities at lunch and food and whatnot. It’s usually a pretty big success and people get excited about it. We try to really advertise it during the weeks leading up to it.”
Leadership also organized various food options, all sold for just five dollars. The boba, pizza, barbecue and burritos were highly anticipated, attracting a line of students from the small gym to the entrance of the main building.
Beyond the efforts of the Leadership class, various clubs and Peer Resource members played a crucial role in making Red Fest a success. The club members and students set up and managed numerous booths and activities, catering to the high demand from their peers.
One such student was sophomore Tayden Buoy, who ran the Student Lead Anti-racism Movement (SLAM) class’s table.
“I like that [Red Fest] brings a lot of school spirit and community to Redwood,” Buoy said.
At this table, Buoy focused on education and inspiration regarding people of color in the music industry. A spinning wheel displayed different decades. Students were then challenged to guess the name and artist of the song, earning a sweet treat if they were successful.
“Here, we’re educating people on inspirational people of color in the music industry and how they broke down the barriers for other people of color,” Buoy said.
Community spirit was a recurring theme among participants. Junior Lucas Bennet, a Peer Resource member, worked their class’s booth. The class members set up friendship bracelet beads and strings of various colors and letters, helping students make their own customized bracelets.
“We’re giving out friendship bracelets and promoting Peer Resource to new incomers and creating a welcoming space for them to join,” Bennet said. “[Red Fest] is community building for Redwood, you know, it brings people together.”
Adding to the fun and games, freshman Nico Les was managing the “Guess the Candy” table. Les expressed his enthusiasm for Red Fest, his first time experiencing the event.
“As a freshman, I’ve noticed a lot of the juniors and seniors go off campus for lunch. Red Fest is awesome because more people stay on campus, and you get to build relationships with your community,” Les said.
The overwhelming success of this year’s Red Fest weighs heavily on the strong sense of community and school spirit at Redwood. The dedication of the leadership class, the enthusiastic participation of clubs and Peer Resource and the excitement of the student body combined to create a memorable experience. The South Lawn may have turned to its usual state after the lunch bell rang, but the positive impact and the fun students had at Red Fest will resonate within the community and leave them excited for next year.
