Seniors Outrun Juniors in Powderpuff Showdown

The members of the sophomore class better look out. Whether they're opening heavy doors, catching school bags thrown by your friends or racing for class, the juniors are going to be scouting them.

A day after Katie Hackett's team lost a one-sided contest to the seniors in the annual powderpuff football game she helped to plan, she's already looking forward to being on the winning team next year.

"I haven't started scouting the sophomores yet," Hackett laughed. "It's hard to say how good they'll be."

The senior girls defeated the junior girls, 32-0, on May 31, but both sides achieved their primary goals of raising money for the two classes and generating some school spirit and unity. Even so, it's nice to win.

"I thought we did pretty well," Hackett said. "We thought we could win this year. What it all came down to was speed. The seniors had a lot of speed. We put up a good fight. They just outran us."

That's why Hackett and her friends might have their stopwatches out to time the sophomores going from class to class the rest of the school year.

Actually, Hackett has more important things on her mind right now. She has the school year to finish. Then, on June 23, she will be one of nine Hightstown High students that will be involved in a trip to go to Costa Rica.

"We'll be helping to build a playground," Hackett said. "In addition to the nine students from Hightstown High, people from all over the country will be going. I'm really looking forward to the trip.

"I like working with people I never met before. I like meeting new people, helping them with their needs."

The trip to Costa Rica and the powderfuff game are linked by more ways than just Hackett's participation.

Bill Kamps is a history teacher at the school. [Editor's note: He's also .] One of the classes he teaches — a personal favorite of Hackett's — is called "Choosing to Participate."

"The class I teach is interested in student leadership," Kamps said. "Whether it means organizing the powderpuff game or something else, we want the kids to find things they care about."

Hackett, Bed Adlerman and Bryan Rozo were the students that took it upon themselves to run the annual powderpuff game. Teachers Debbie Townsend and Teri Horta were also involved in running the event.

"The varsity football players ended up being coaches for the girls," Kamps noted. "Everyone wanted to be involved. You didn't have to be an athlete. So many kids were interested, we had to pull lottery numbers to select the players."

As far as Kamps is concerned, that was the biggest victory involved with the contest.

"We're trying to find ways to encourage a positive spirit," Kamps said. "We want kids to be involved."

Other projects students in "Choosing to Participate" have been involved with include Habitat for Humanity and a school-run group called Teaming Up With Underclassmen.

"We want the students to be the leaders in an anti-bullying campaign in the school," Kamps said. "We're looking for ways to build a positive community at the school."

This was the second year "Choosing to Participate" has been offered at Hightstown High, and Kamps said he sees the possibility of it growing to include more involvement in helping the Hightstown/East Windsor community.

"I'm here to guide them," Kamps said.  "It's their show. I want them to find things they are passionate about. I'd then like to help them find a way to do those things to help their community."

That could mean helping those less fortunate. It could mean understanding someone else's differences combine with our own to make the world a more interesting place. Or it could mean playing a flag football game to encourage more school participation and spirit, as it did this week.

"I'd like to take on coordinating the powderpuff game again next year," Hackett said. "We had a very successful game this year, but it would be nice to win it. Next year we'll work hard and hope for a victory."

Of course, a little scouting wouldn't hurt.