First annual McLean bonfire proves to be a success

Highlander community unites for homecoming week event

A new tradition – Highlanders sit around the fire on a crisp autumn night. Temperatures dipped into the 40s during the bonfire.

Ed Walters, Sports Editor
October 27, 2017

Last night, Oct. 26, the first annual bonfire here at McLean took place. It was made out to be one of the keynote events in the week leading up to homecoming, which takes place on Oct. 28. The bonfire fell on the Thursday between the Powerpuff football game where the junior girls take on the senior girls and Friday’s homecoming game against Washington & Lee.

“We really wanted to promote school spirit, and we thought that a bonfire could be something interesting that brought students out,” junior leadership member Oscar Tatis said.

The bonfire took place on the practice softball field at 7 P.M. and went until 8:30 P.M.

“We wanted to make sure that it was dark enough that the fire would be more noticeable, but not too late in the day so that students wouldn’t get home too late on a school night,” Tatis said.

Many precautions were taken to try and ensure that the fire would remain safe and that no one would be hurt.

“Obviously fire can be extremely dangerous,” Tatis said. “We had to do quite a bit of organizing to make sure that no one would be in any sort of danger.”

It’s lit – A view of the crowd at the first annual bonfire. There were over 100 people at the event.

Despite the precautions taken, numerous firetrucks did arrive at the school after a neighbor called the fire department.

“It was pretty scary seeing the firetrucks pull up,” senior David Gartner said. “I guess they should have told the neighbors what was going on, I’m sure I would have reacted the same way if I looked out the window and saw a fire.”

After things were cleared up with the fire department, the rest of the evening went smoothly as students and teachers alike huddled around the warm fire on a brisk autumn night.

“It was a good time,” senior Billy Erdahl said. “I don’t think I’ve been to anything like this before, but I think it was a great idea by the school to have a bonfire.”

All in all, this years bonfire might prove to start a Highlander tradition that will carry on for years to come.

“I wish they could have started doing this when I was a freshman, Gartner said. “It’s such a great thing for the community as a whole and it really ties together the whole idea behind homecoming week.”