Can’t repeat the past?…Why of course you can! For the fourth year in a row, Twenties Night was held for juniors on Dec. 13.

Twenties Night, held at Veteran’s Hall for the first time this year, gave juniors the opportunity to experience what American culture was like during the 1920s. The event included music, dance instructions, a costume contest and poetry slams delivered by students.

Twenties Night was a required assignment for all juniors. While students were required to dress in party attire they could earn extra credit for dressing in a Twenties costume and performing in the poetry slam.

“Besides the dance we have a poetry contest which is inspired by Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance,” librarian Susan Stutzman said. “Every year we have wonderful poetry read from students.”

The interactive event was chosen to match  what junior history and English classes are currently studying. Junior English classes are currently reading “The Great Gatsby,” which F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote about the 1920’s. The history department wanted to help students explore the 1920s by giving them an entrance into the material to get them interested, said event co-chair and social studies teacher Alli Cota. The event was designed as an opportunity for students to interact in a kinesthetic activity that allows students to shine in a different setting, Cota said. In addition, it was meant to give students a break from the stressful school days that lead up to winter break.

“The more we can get students to interact with the material in a way that’s fun and creates connections the more interested they will be in the academic content,” Cota said.

The event began at 6:30 p.m. where students transformed into their 1920s characters assigned by their history teachers. Next students learned the popular 1920s dances called the Lindy Hop and the swing followed by a costume contest and a poetry slam. The evening ended with a dance off.

For the first time, an interactive slideshow of 1920s photos was played while dinner was served.

Senior Sarah Stuetz remembers Twenties Night from last year. She said her favorite part was “seeing everyone dress up and having fun dancing with my friends.”

UPDATE:

Costume contest winners- Annie and Emily Pelligrini, Kayla Lim, Char Nakashima-Conway, Addie Christensen, Mathis Richards, Cade Becker, Luke Eidam

Poetry contest winner- Keith Sibal