Students and faculty members participated in a variety of competitive events including dodgeball, table tennis and Wii karaoke, and ate In-N-Out Burger during Community and Character Committee’s third annual Spring Festival March 23.

Community and Character Committee hosted the event to foster a sense of community and allow students and teachers to have a break from their daily schedules, Community and Character Committee Chair and Athletic Coordinator Darlene Bible said.

“I enjoy anything that has to do with the unity within the school and Harvard-Westlake community,” Xenia Bernal ’19 said. “I love anything that has to do with having the whole entire student body being united and just playing games the day before break.”

The activities served as an opportunity for students to enjoy themselves and not worry about school, according to faculty members.

“Spring Festival is great because it forces the students to get out of their own heads and just be free for an hour and realize that it’s okay to take a break,” HW Works Administrator Zaakirah Daniels ’10 said.

Students said that playing with their peers and teachers not only brought them closer together, but helped them release some pent-up stress from the third academic quarter.

“It’s a nice break from the rigors of the classroom to just get on the field and expel some energy before Spring Break,” Mikey Corrin ’18 said. “It’s a nice little thing that the school put on and I appreciate it.”

Members of Community and Character Committee said this year’s festival succeeded in relieving students’ stress and strengthening bonds within the community. They hope to expand upon the current activities, which also the newly added spike ball and Wii Just Dance, in the following years.

“What we really are looking for is to get everyone to have a great time and remember things like this,” Bible said. “The truth is you remember maybe something that happened today at an activity far longer than you’ll remember the B that you got on your math test.”