Seniors celebrating with Mr. Gannon on their last day. Photo: Instagram @paceacademy

GAP day, or Great American Picnic Day, is one of the most anticipated school days of the year. The exhilaration is filled with games, food and physics competitions.

At around 10:30 a.m., Phlotilla occurred, where numerous groups of freshmen created their own makeshift boat in order to win the race in the pool. Freshman Drew Thompson said, “I really loved competing in Phlotilla and seeing how my own boat did in the pool. Overall, it was a great start to a great day.” Although Drew’s boat was not the most successful, he worked very hard on his project and had a great time. 

After this event, the Upper School transitioned to a fantastic cookout. The food was delicious and a top meal for the entire school year. “The food was scrumptious and the drinks were quite refreshing,” said junior Jack Janko, “I have been looking forward to this meal for the whole year.”

Post-lunch, the Upper School migrated to the upper field for a massive water fight. Students armed themselves with water blasters and water balloons to defend themselves from their peers. “The water fights were so much fun and I really had a blast. I got to shoot all my friends and my foes,” said sophomore Dhru Lalaji.  

Senior-Faculty dodge ball followed the water fight. The seniors prevailed in the first game, while the tides turned in the second. The dodge ball was very fun to watch, as some faculty showed skills that many students did not expect.

While the dodge ball was a very lighthearted event, the Senior goodbyes and slideshow were quite the opposite, a nostalgic reminder of their last day. The slideshow featured pictures of the whole class as they grew up throughout Pace. It was nice to see how different seniors have changed over the years. “I changed a bunch over the years,” said senior Patrick Marr. Following the slideshow, many seniors gave their goodbyes and farewells to the Upper School. They gave advice to the underclassmen and finished out their last day of high school on a high note.

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