Big Sandy High School put on its annual carnival last weekend, complete with the triumphant return of a classic event: the class skits. As always, the evening of fun was well attended. Superintendent Dan Schrock summed up the event well: "I just think it's so great. It's springtime, and our kids can have fun. The community can come out and celebrate our kids. There's a lot of smiles. It's great to see."

The return of the skits to the evening came about as a result of English teacher, Marla Ray taking on the event. "They haven't had the skits for several years. And that was one thing I really missed when I came to the carnival, because it was a long-standing tradition from way back from when I was in grade school."

"I just thought, well, I think kids still enjoy doing skits. The kids in my English classes have been good writers. I have not had a kid yet say to me, 'I'm not doing that assignment.' I thought, 'we'll test drive this.' I said to the eighth grade, 'we're going to write a skit.' They just jumped in there. They wrote the skit. They made the props, the dialogue, the whole nine yards, and presented it to the seventh grade class and the administration. It went over huge. They loved it." The seventh grade English class began asking when they would get to do their own skit. The enthusiastic reception prompted Marla Ray to give all of the classes the skit writing assignment. "At the end of February, I said to each of the high school classes, 'We're going to have a skit for the carnival. The Carnival is going to be on April 14th. You've got a while to think about it. But starting next week, I want you to be ruminating on it. Starting next week, we're going to come up with our ideas.' Each class wrote their own, and they had so much fun doing it, writing it, and I had fun watching them do it. I thought they did great, particularly the seniors. You expect your seniors to be more flamboyant. But the freshmen really put together a great skit for being new at it. It was organized. It was logical. It made sense. It was cute. I am proud of all four classes." Between each of the four skits, student musicians put on musical numbers. "It was great to showcase those kids, too. It's just a great way to show off student talent." Marla also commented on the support each of the classes showed for each other during the performances. "I also appreciated how each class of kids cheered and yelled for the other classes. I think that's important, not to tear the other ones down, but to say 'Yeah! That's great!" This is the first time the classes put on original skits since 2009.

The community involvement, food, fellowship, and games were a source of joy for everyone in attendance. It was also a bit of a bittersweet evening for some in attendance. I spoke with several seniors and their parents who were doing their last carnival, after growing up attending and helping to run the event in years past. Senior, Lance Rutledge remarked "I have a lot of fun with it. It's a lot of 'lasts' this year, so you don't notice it as much." He went on to point out that you get out of the carnival what you put into it. Kristy, Lance's mother talked with me about soon not having a kid in Big Sandy Schools for the first time in 23 years. She commented: "It's bittersweet because it's my last last. I've had a year of lasts and a few firsts. After watching the kids grow up. The kids who are seniors now, when they were just little pipsqueaks years ago they were out there running around playing the games. Now they're running the games."

I also spoke with FE Miley's own Cinda Pearson, who will be retiring at the end of the school year. This year's carnival was her 17th as a staff member in Big Sandy. She explained to me in the sweet, positive manner that has made her a well-loved face at FE Miley: "Everybody's smiling, happy, fun games, good food, and good company. It is bittersweet. It's been a joy to serve the purple and gold Pioneer family."