On Aug 16, 2024, Rocklin High School started the second day of the new school year with its 4th annual carnival that the students, staff, and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) brought together in a celebration to build community and immerse freshmen in the school’s culture.
“My high school experience has been better than what I imagined, even though it’s my second day,” said freshman Ramchandra Chekurni. “I didn’t know what to expect when coming in. I thought the snack booth was cool. I played some ping pong. Everybody here is pretty friendly.”
Junior Elizabeth Wines added, “I made a bunch of paper airplanes. I went to the bounce house—that was pretty cool. It’s been pretty entertaining; I am waiting for the drumline performance right now.” She said her favorite part was the donuts, which the PTA handed out along with sodas and candy.
However, she noted one downside. “They don’t have a lot of water,” she said.
Eric Sturgeon, who has been teaching Positive Psychology and AP Psychology at RHS for over 20 years, helped supervise the event.
“It is a wonderful experience,” Sturgeon said. “People are having fun. It’s a great way to start the school year.”
Some of the carnival’s big highlights were the dance and cheer team performances and the drumline march. The carnival also offered activities including ping pong, pickleball, mini-golf, volleyball, hip-hop, a Mario Kart tournament, and more.
This year’s carnival’s success was not only due to the student’s participation but also the dedication of the staff who hosted various events. RHS math teacher Kelly Stice, who helped host board games in room K-1, said, “There is a lot of variety and interesting things going on. It’s a great way to start the year.”
She added, “I think the culture here has been great. It’s been a good year, and this was a great start.”
As the carnival was starting to end, freshman Nash Vanwagenan, new to the high school experience, reflected on finding the carnival and high school experience to be a pleasant surprise.
“It’s way more chill,” he said. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect, but it turned out well. It’s been so much fun, especially the bounce house. I also walked around with friends.”
