EDITORIAL: Playing with passion
April 8, 2018
By the BP Editorial Board
Color War at Shalhevet is an event of intense competition among the four grades, during which the school exudes an air of excitement and ruach (spirit) that lasts for two-and-a-half days. It creates bonds between students who would not have connected otherwise, through the common desire to win, pride in watching classmates perform and compete, and being forced to collaborate creatively.
However, Color War can also be divisive and hostile, adjectives antithetical to the event’s purpose and values but that reflect the passion of the day. From disputes over which team sprinted fastest when the moderators yelled “Pepsi!” to questions about who objectively cheered the loudest, every event creates room for disagreement and charges of bias.
This year, the class of 2018 won Color War for the third year in a row, bringing sheer thrill to the Purple team while inciting mixed reactions in the rest of the student body. There were claims of a rigged competition and an unfair scoring system, and since the seniors had chanted “THREE-PEAT” countless times throughout the contest, some wondered whether it was really just a coincidence that their hopes came true..
Others thought claims of unfairness unjustified, fueled only by the heat of the event, and saying that the senior victory just signified their superior Color War skills. This side felt seniors’ hard work and attitude had paid off, granting a victory that they deserved.
We believe that Color War’s intensity every moment – from individual events to when the final winner is announced – can cause people to lose sight of the larger picture and larger goals. At Shalhevet, students are encouraged to be invested in every aspect of their education, whether Color War, academic classes or co-curriculars. The mindset of enthusiasm makes the knock-out competition currently happening the most important thing the world, and everything else unimportant.
No matter the speculations about “three-peat” or anything else, what’s most inspiring and beautiful about Color War is the communal unity seen both during and after the games. First comes competition and intensity, and sometimes aggressive desire to win. And then Shalhevet emerges as Shalhevet. No longer divided by colors, the community regains perspective, appreciating the bonding experience and fun competition, while putting controversy and divisiveness to rest.
Two weeks out, hopefully we all have done that.
