As the holiday season approaches, UHSSE is preparing for one of its most anticipated events of the year: The Amazing Race! This exciting school-wide competition will take place on Friday, December 20th, the last school day before winter break, which is also a half day. In teams of three or four, students will compete to finish a number of staff-run tasks located all around the school. The goal? To win this thrilling competition by being the first team to finish. 

“It’s great because it’s a chance for all students to collaborate and persevere through a lot of more critical thinking and team building tasks together,” said UHSSE math teacher Kate Grayeb, who is one of the main planners of this event. “We’ve had a senior team win almost every year, and I’d love to see underclassmen give them a run for their money this year!”

At UHSSE, the Amazing Race has established itself as a tradition that encourages teamwork, school spirit, and an appropriate amount of competition. 

Teachers are essential to the event, since they create and oversee the challenges. To keep things interesting and fair, many teachers change their challenges each year. These challenges are often described as “Minute to Win It” games, testing students’ mental and physical skills. To ensure a variety of tasks that require resilience, teamwork, and critical thinking, some teachers even go through a set of four challenges once a year.  

The excitement doesn’t end with the race. Following the Amazing Race, the school will come together for a spirited pep rally. This event will feature a class cheer competition, recognition of winter athletes, and the announcement of the race winners. The pep rally will also include the much-loved senior class pie-the-teachers fundraiser. In the weeks leading up to December 20th, students can purchase tickets during lunch periods to nominate individual staff members for the chance to be pied in front of the entire school.

Mark your calendars and get ready for a day filled with fun, teamwork, and school spirit. Whether you’re racing to the finish line, cheering on your classmates, or aiming to pie your favorite teacher, the Amazing Race and pep rally promise to be unforgettable events to close out the year!