Like, really.
Hess Hall held their bi-annual Club Hess program this past Saturday, August 25th. Club Hess is put on to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol and substance abuse, and is part of the RA programming requirements.
But, this semester's installment of Club Hess rocked, literally. It was ultra-successful, thanks to a lot of hard work from the entire RA staff, and a lot of thought.
You might be thinking, "Wow, it seems really early in the semester to be having the alcohol and substance abuse awareness program. That usually happens before fall break." That's what I thought, at first. But what I learned from attending this program is just how powerful a building-wide program early on can be when it comes to developing a building unity and building community amongst all the residents.
Staggering fact: Hess had around 250 residents attend Club Hess. TWO HUNDRED FIFTY RESIDENTS! That's huge! The forward-thinkingness of the Hess staff to engage their residents early certainly paid off in a big way during this program, and I am so proud of them for it!
The Hess RAs blacked out the lights and hung black tarp from the ceiling in their lobby to create the "Club." Inside, it really was pitch black dark. [My poor little camera phone couldn't take any pictures.] The RAs had taken black light paint and written facts about the dangers of alcohol and substance abuse on the tarp, along with some other graffiti-like pictures. The space was filled with black lights, lasers, and a "spotlight," that really gave the space a neat feel. RAs David and Annalee were blending up some mighty delicious beverages (thanks for the daiquiri, Annalee!) and the "bar" had a full menu. They also handed jello shots out to residents as they patrolled the dance floor. DJs Cedric and Justin provided an excellent selection of dance music, and the residents really were engaged and enjoying themselves.
I even fist-pumped. This is perhaps the biggest shocker of all.
The general attitude of the residents was very positive, and it was very neat to see resident camaraderie building so early in the year.
A wonderful job and a big congratulations to all of the Hess Hall RAs. You all should be very proud!
Please enjoy the lovely selection of pictures below, provided by the beautiful Amanda Gilbert.
 |
| The view from the outside--and a few "bouncers!" |
 |
| A friendly note reminding residents that Hess Hall wants them to stay safe! This note was right above the "bar." Here, you can see David and Annalee hard at work making drinks for the residents! |
 |
| Crowd shot! |
 |
| DJs Justin and Cedric taking requests! |
Until next time,
Chelsea Oliver
WAGA
No comments:
Post a Comment