LM Week 2019: The 123rd Meeting
Photo by Chloe Sakowski
October 18, 2019
Last week, Radnor had another successful LM week, rally, and game to celebrate the longest continuous high school football rivalry in the country. The 123rd meeting of Radnor and Lower Merion proved to be a bittersweet time for the Class of 2020. The theme this year was High School Musical, which proved to be very fitting: during LM week, high school really did feel like High School Musical.
This nostalgic theme was revealed last year, much earlier than it normally is. This is because the LM game took place a full month earlier than it has in previous years, meaning that students had to work twice as fast to decorate the hallways and choreograph the dances. Despite the time crunch, each grade’s hard work surely paid off when it came to hallway decorations.
The freshman class of 2023 adorned the math wing with Gravity Falls and Descendants themed posters. Meanwhile, the juniors, just down the hall, flooded the international cafe with themed posters of Phineas and Ferb and Teen Beach Movie. Downstairs, sophomores proudly sported Camp Rock and Hannah Montana. Seniors went all out with their High School Musical themed hallway. As always, the hallways were extremely impressive and added an air of festivity to the week. The colorful lights and floor to ceiling posters will be sorely missed as we continue on with the year.
The Wednesday of LM week fell on Yom Kippur this year, meaning that our beloved week was shortened to just four days. Given this, student council decided to get creative when discussing the themes for each dress-up day, given that losing Wednesday meant sacrificing our beloved USA day. Instead, Pajama Day got bumped to the Monday following LM week, the day that students clamor for during the pep rally with chants of “Half-day Monday!”
The Monday at the beginning of LM week this year was, instead of USA Day, Around-the-World day. This resulted in an amazing display of the many different cultures students bring to the Radnor community. Tuesday, rather than being Tiki Tuesday, became Safari Day. Students dressed up as both hunters and the hunted; though, some stayed true to the roots of Tiki Tuesday and came to school decked out in leis. After our day off on Wednesday, students came back to school in full-blown throwback gear for Throwback Thursday. Students dressed from every era, ranging from the prehistoric age to the early 2000s. Finally, the day everyone was preparing for all week arrived: Rally Day. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors wore their LM shirts, while seniors sported Senior Girls and Senior Boys tanks. Students of all grades took full advantage of the face paint and glitter available to them.
While the themes and costumes make LM week even more enjoyable, what is truly unforgettable about this week is the energy of the student body. Whether students were simply admiring the halls or dancing during lunch, LM week truly brings out the best in the student body. For seniors especially, it is a time to appreciate the people that you go to school with; the LM rivalry does an amazing job of bringing us all together.
Our 123rd LM Pep Rally was certainly one for the books. Our students and teachers showcased their dancing abilities and school spirit. The Senior Girls Dance featured a surprise ending from Radnor Ravers member Bailey Huang that proved to be a huge hit. The Senior Boys Dance was a slam dunk, to say the least.
Since the game itself took place on Saturday, October 12, we held our annual Bonfire on the night of Friday the 11th. The cheerleaders and football players, for whom LM week demands an immense amount of work and dedication, victoriously rode in on fire trucks. The band kept the spirits high as students waited in anticipation to see if Radnor would emerge victorious the next day, and not to mention whether or not we would be receiving a half-day-pajama-day on Monday.
Finally, game day arrived. Prevost field was sold out as everyone in the community filled the bleachers to show their support for our team. The game was an exciting one, but as the final quarter neared, the Ruckus was feeling pretty confident that they would be able to victoriously storm the field once the clock ran out. The game ended with a score of 49-6, and the Raiders will be keeping the trophy for yet another triumphant year.
Radnor’s victory meant that the festivities weren’t over quite yet; students came to school on Monday dressed in PJs, only to be dismissed at noon by the ringing of the ceremonial bell. This year’s LM week is one that current students will be sure to remember. Full of camaraderie, music, and school spirit, this LM week proves that at Radnor, we really are all in this together.
