Like a lot of Mondays, for most of us, it signals the beginning of a new week as we try to force ourselves out of bed and find the energy to make it through the first day back from our weekends. As always, we start the morning with Mrs Cossack’s usual alliteration of A days and B days; yet, this time something is different- one announcement peaks the interest of the student body as their eyes light up with exuberance. Yes, it is the announcement of Spirit Week in the foreseeable future, and for those who enjoy the break from the humdrum cycle of the usual week, they prepare their outfits and nuances to elicit awe out of their peers.

However, this was not always the case: the Spirit Week we now come to enjoy was not always part of the Homecoming tradition here in Pat-Med. After sitting down with current day counselor Mrs. Goldfader- and alumni of the building- I was able to gather intriguing information that not many are probably aware of. As a former student and advisor- 1994 and 1997- she has seen the evolution and progression that the department has taken to spicing up the unique aspects of Homecoming that our school has always tried to embody. While no finite date was specified, she did inform me that Spirit Week started in the late 1980’s, and the reason for its inclusion was to be a prelude to the Homecoming semantics and begin to get that excitement building. While history is always enticing, what I really wanted to know was how the dynamic of the students has either changed, or stagnated as the years have progressed; to my knowledge, it has only become more and more popular. After inquisiting Mrs. Goldfader about this, knowing that she has seen the involvement through all her years, with a smile, she passionately stated it has “gotten stronger than ever.”  Moreover, she added onto this by saying the school spirit here is “rare- the amount of spirit our school displays is incredible.”

Out of curiosity, though, I was wondering if the student body had any ideas themselves on additional Spirit Week themes. They came up with ideas like “crazy shoes” day, dress as a teacher day, dress as a favorite TV/movie character, and more. Check out the chart to the left for more ideas and poll results.

Th  After the long hours and controlled chaos that is float site, it must be nice for those students to finally see their hard work and dedication pay off. For the community, the experience they have at watching these handcrafted delights, along with the rest of the parade, is an experience that is invaluable. Before the parade, as someone who has never gone to it before, I didn’t know what to expect; my main thought heading into it was always how the community plays a key role in this part of the festivities. After having the privilege to interview Mrs. Cani, Mrs. McGourty, Mrs. Mars, Mrs. Goldfader, and Dr. R,  I could not help but ask how they feel on this topic as well. After analyzing all their responses, one key aspect became prevalent: the parade is not just a culmination of the students hard-work, but also a thank-you and love-letter to the whole Pat-Med area for the sense of camaraderie we share. As Mrs. Mars put it: “It is no longer just about those who attend the high school, yet, it is about everyone in the community and how we all play apart in the success of the next generation.” This concept, expressed by all of the counselors and staff I spoke with, could not be more accurate: after attending the parade, and seeing the community first-hand, I was left speechless at the turn-out.

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Photo by PM Schools

Marching band participates in the homecoming parade.

From the old to the young, those who could barely walk anymore to those who haven’t even learned to yet, the range of people and faces that came in the mess and crowd to watch what our school- our community have built was unrealistic. People by the dozens lined up with chairs, coffees, Pat-Med T-Shirts, sweaters, pants, you name it, these individuals repped it. When the show began, it was a humbling experience to see how many different aspects of the community were marching down Main Street: ROTC, youth groups, Raiderettes, the band, Saxton kids, the court, and of course, the floats. For us who attend the high school, we know the friendly rivalry that is present between the classes. The distinction, though, put best by Dr. R, is “competition is good, but coming back together is an incredible aspect of our school.” The families and friends of the four classes at the parade, demonstrated this sentiment in a way words cannot justify.

While other schools do floats, never in my wildest dreams did I expect the grandeur and complexity that our school was willing to take to these creations until I saw them. Leading to this day, I inquired about the level of work that went into these floats throughout the course of Pat-Med’s history, where class advisor of 2018 Mrs. Mcgourty- and former student- put it best: “the float scale has become so much more intense- the moving parts, the monologue required to tell the judges, and the skill is always increased every year. In the end, the kids should always remember it is for them.” As for who wins, 2018, 2019, or what have you, everyone should be impressed with what they were able to accomplish on this day. For the freshmen, looking to make their mark, the vivid color choices along with the car and plane that was seen really stuck out and made you step back and realize: they are here, and they are going to give it their all. Following this, the sophomores rocked the scene with a classically inspired 50’s diner with an actual moving record front-and-center. Along with the jukebox and bright color scheme of yellow and white, the level of authenticity was incredulous. Bursting onto the scene to spread the message of free love and anti-establishment was the juniors far-out 60’s themed float, complete with the iconic Volkswagen bus and tie-dye colors of the decade. Last, but certainly not least, the seniors decked out their 80’s-esque float with the most recognizable and inspirational objects of the time: from Pac-Man, the huge Rubik’s Cube, and Star-Wars, the multi-colored amalgamation magically all worked together and nothing looked out of place.

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Photo by PM Schools

Freshmen 1920s float cruising down Main Street in Patchogue.

As a senior myself, it is sad to think that these floats will continue to outshine the previous years and I will no longer be able to see the amount of pride and teamwork that went into creating these products of passion. From asking the class advisors, the sense of friendship and coexistence that is present on the float sites is a phenomena all unto itself. As lamented by Mrs. Canny, “everyone knows their role: they understand they are coming together for the greater good and to produce something bigger than themselves.” The bonds built and the friendships sparked will last a lifetime: it is these memories that will shape your high-school experience and help you discover who you are as a person. For those who are not seniors, remember this for next year in-case you too want to get involved.

As great as the floats and parade are, one of the most highly anticipated and truly unique parts of our Pat-Med Homecoming is without question the class skits. This year, forgetting the aspect of being judged and graded, the creativity and imagination to come up with the decade themed skits were all accurate, and had the audience and students hooked from beginning to end. Of course, it is important to note prior to the skit’s starting, Dr. R and the audience all had a moment of silence for the passing of 11th grade student Shaun Dixon. The level of courage and spirit he showed in his fight takes a special type of individual; and while nothing will fill the void he has left in so many people’s lives, the best we can do as a community, is honor him with the work we have done.

Past this moment, the skits began, and the Freshman, just like their floats, showed spunk and spontaneity that not many were expecting. The idea behind their skit, taking queues from the prohibition era of the roaring 20’s, included a story-line of football being outlawed in New York and Pat-Med wanted to bring it back for Homecoming while evading the law. With the dancers being replicas of the flappers known for the era, plus the references to speakeasies and the jazz music that made its mark, as a whole, the production value was high and very well thought out. Plus, I can’t deny the shots at the Seniors and Sophomores did require some courage and I will give them props for that.

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Photo by PM Schools

Students performed their skits before the homecoming game.

Next up, the Sophomores brought us back to the 50’s with the golden age of TV and a young Dr. R talking to his parents. The premise being that we were the audience in a 50’s style Pat-Med Homecoming, based on an old talk-show with a classic host and people from the 50’s as his guests. From the likes of Debbie Reynolds and others, these stars were cast as the presidents of the different classes expressing their sentiments on homecoming through words and music. Classics songs from Elvis, Bill Haley, Danny and the Juniors, and The Everly Brothers, the songs exemplified the 50’s perfectly. On a side note, the rendition of All I Have to Do Is Dream was beautiful and whatever girl sang it I applaud you. In addition, the fake commercials with I Love Lucy and others were nice little comedic relief points.

The Juniors took to the stage next as they cleverly renamed the event “Raider-Stock,” in reference to the famous Woodstock festival that began in this era. Nolan Creen playing the role of a hippie who was against the conformist parents that was common of the time, he and his friends begin their trip to Raider-Stock where they run into icons of the time: most importantly, The Beatles. The use of Dr. Hynes with his nod to JFK and the colloquial language of the time built on to a very well prepared and rehearsed skit with a class that wanted to come out and show they would not play backseat to the seniors all the time. In the end, the message that was delivered at the end was the most memorable and sentimental piece of the skit: that community and home is forever, it is something that can never be replaced.

To end the show, the Senior class looked to make their final skit one that would be remembered for years in the annals of Pat-Med history. The concept was, that the quarterback and some stereotypical characters from the 80’s were put into detention and could not go to Homecoming under Mean-Dead Sween’s watch. Jordan Yates, playing this role, was hilarious and he ended up playing one of the most influential parts in the skits success. Of course, you couldn’t have the 80’s without references to E.T- played by Mrs. McGourty’s daughter- Def Leppard, Madonna, and leg warmers plus side pony-tails. The level of work and comedy that was implemented, along with a cast of students who seemed to be born to play their roles, was uncanny and came across so natural. However, it was the ending that spoke volumes to us all, especially the other Seniors: showing pictures of our peers with what they will miss in our final year, the friends, activities, and events was spine-chilling. So much so, that the audience gave the class a standing ovation to show their appreciation and admiration for all they have done and the work they have put in throughout these four years.

To end this memorable day, the students and parents showed up in droves to pack those bleachers and cheer their lungs out for the Raiders. The atmosphere was electric and one could barely hear himself think over the chants and the love being poured down by everyone in support of the team. It was not all about the players on the field, though, as the crowds and the audience knew we had to win this one not because of Homecoming- but for Sean. Huge respect to the opposing team, they entered uncharted territory against the most riled up crowd in all of New York and tried their best to stay in it. Unfortunately, their best wasn’t good enough on this night, as the Raiders blew them out in a final score of 68-19; the level that the players were on was something you would see out of one of those cliché movies were they seem to have superhuman strengths in the face of pressure. It is true though: between the players, the crowd, the support from the staff, and the memory of Sean, the Raiders refused to lose this game.

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Photo by Pat-Med Athletics

Pat-Med Varsity football team enters the field on Homecoming day.

Homecoming is not just another school mandated event: they don’t just have it here for the sake of having a homecoming. Here, at Pat-Med, we take pride and honor in this time of year where everyone seems to put aside their differences, their egos, and their procrastination to work together and make this day one that will never be forgotten. Even if you still are unsure about participating in the future, you still have your qualms, think of it through the lens Dr. R puts it: “just like anything in life- you have to take risks. Even if you don’t feel it is for you or you will fit in, you will never know until you actually try it. Even if it doesn’t work out for you, at least you gave it the good old college try.”  As for me, I too encourage all of you to join in on this special time of year, as before you know it- you will be packing your bags for your life after high-school, with regrets and what-if’s looming overhead.

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Photo by Class of 2019

Juniors display sign to support classmate Sean Dixon at Raiderbowl.