Nest Fest, a treasured tradition at CRLS that celebrates our school’s seniors on their last day, was held on Friday, May 31st during blocks three and four. Gathering the whole school community together in front of the main building, this year’s Nest Fest, planned out and organized by the student government, featured student-led activities, musical performances, and an assortment of delicious food.
As the Big Band played jazz in the warm weather, one of the main highlights was the variety of student groups and clubs that contributed to the event’s festive atmosphere. Attendees were able to enjoy mini golf, face painting, tattoos, and “bucket ball,” as well as buying student-made ceramics, culinary’s grilled-up hamburgers and hot dogs, plants, cultural foods, and a lot more. Charlotte Wayland ’25 reflected on the exciting events of the day, sharing, “I really liked the food and drinks from South Asian Club … the music was really good as well.” Ms. Shannon Beatty expressed similar sentiments, saying, “Seeing the whole school together and having fun is rare but needed and is a highlight.”
One popular stand that was able to come back for this year’s fest was the plant sale hosted by CRLS biology classes; they sold a variety of plants, food, and seeds with a goal of reducing the planet’s CO2 emissions. Ms. Barbara Dorritie, who helped organize the plant sale, shared with the Register Forum her favorite part of the event, stating, “Seeing student leaders take action and running events like these is truly inspirational, […] the plant sales are my favorite activity to host—there are many inexpensive plants and it ultimately encourages more advocacy for climate justice.”
Although the event had many successes, some students expressed suggestions for next year. Meadow Bilimoria ’25 shared, “There were many food options but not as many activities.” Others such as Rivka Zickler ’24 mentioned, “We should bring back a dunk tank and potentially have some of the event[s] on a field.” For a festive event like this, the ideas are limitless, and these suggestions are critical to improve students’ experiences in the future. Student government representative Leila Poor ’26 shared with the Register Forum her account of helping plan the event, stating, “It is a lot of fun but stressful to prepare for, but when it all comes together to celebrate the seniors, it is so good.”
In the end, Nest Fest is an evocative day for both seniors and non-seniors alike: a long-earned celebration after a draining year of school work that follows AP exams and more than three-quarters of school. Wayland shares her emotional feelings from the event stating, “This day made me nostalgic and I am going to miss the seniors.” On his last day, Che Santos ’24 reminisces about his time at CRLS, sharing, “Seeing everyone one last time before I leave was a highlight.”
This article also appears in our June 2024 edition.
