During Monday’s homeroom meetings, juniors and seniors began busily practicing and preparing for Friday’s Wildcat Challenge, the traditional field day set aside for upperclassmen. And junior Callia Karas says she’s looking forward to starting Spring Break with a bang.

“I’m excited to kill it on the field with my homeroom,” the junior said. “I think we have a lot of potential since we have super-great athletes and we get along well. I think Wildcat Challenge is a great way to start Spring Break and will be a ton of fun.”

While participation was down last year among this year’s seniors, the Class of 2016 has accepted the responsibility of stepping up the challenge of keeping students involved.

“Wildcat Challenge is a fun tradition, and I’m glad more people seem to be attending it this year,” junior Srimayi Tenali said. “It seems like an event that will promote class unity, and that works best when the class actually shows up.”

Senior Jamieson Rushnell said he was disappointed with last year’s attendance.

“The participation for each class is very poor, and I wish it were better,” he said.

In advance of the games, homerooms come up with creative names for their teams, this year some being the Jimcredibles, Rehm C. Hammer, and Bettis’ Barnyard. On the morning of Wildcat Challenge in past years, participants cheered and chanted, rooting for the best homeroom.

Senior Jacob Diamond said he enjoys the rivalry between the homerooms.

“I think that my homeroom will win again because we won last year,” he said. “I’m hoping for a repeat, sweeping Wildcat Challenge junior and senior year.”