As freshman year is well underway, the theology teachers create a night each year where students can have fun while making a difference in the community: the “Freshtival”. The Freshtival in years past was a night where students would go into the neighborhoods surrounding BSM and collect food from houses. However, this year is the first year where the theology teachers decided to try something new.

With concerns about the format of past years service projects, theology teachers came up with a new idea: “We are donating sandwiches to Sandwich Project Minnesota [which is] apart of Minneapolis Homeless Ministry,” theology teacher Ms. Becca Meagher said.

Though the project had been successful in the past, other factors contributed to their changing of the format. “Logistically it was very difficult and this is just a way that is a little easier for the parents I think that was another big thing because parent chaperones have a really hard time chasing the kids around the neighborhoods. So it’s just easier for parents, you can do it no matter the weather, and just a lot of different reasons,” theology teacher Mr. Michael Becker said.

The service project, however, was only one part of the night as a whole. The Freshtival is a time where students get to contribute to their community by donating their time as volunteers, and its a chance for the students to continue bonding by having fun. “We [had] some inflatables, we ordered the obstacle course, the bungee run, a mini basketball hoop arcade, and we’re going to have some ping pong tables set up in the wrestling room,” Becker said.

The majority of the students time was spent playing on the activities offered as the service project itself only takes up about 30-45 minutes of the night. “I think the freshmen have this idea that the whole night is going to be the service project but they’re always happily surprised when they get to play with their friends for most of the night,” senior Link Crew leader Harrison Shibley said.

The response from the freshmen during the night was positive. “I had more fun at the Freshtival than I thought I would. It was a little chaotic but it was fun making the sandwiches and hanging out with my friends,” freshman Emily Zagaros said.

This night of fun, however, is not just for the freshmen. As all the members of Link Crew are recruited to help out with chaperoning the Freshtival, they also get to enjoy some of the fun activities offered. “Even though its a required event for the Link Crew leaders it’s honestly just a really fun night to hang out with friends and the freshmen. Also I just really liked watching everyone do the bungee run it was so funny,” senior Link Crew leader Lucy White said.

The teachers considered this year’s Freshtival a success and the students seemed to agree. “It’s just a good time to come together and play as a class and just have fun,” Becker said.