The Great Plunger Race: On your mark, get set… Photo by Paula Kane

Sixth Graders Audrey Connelli and Tanner Hinkley compete in The Baby Bottle Battle Paula Kane

Mr. America 2022 First Runner Up Chase Bachelder, Mr. America 2022 Eddie Sweetser, and Second Runner Up Colby Hicks. Paula Kane

Limbo in the upstairs hallway, how low can he go? Paula Kane

PHILLIPS — Though the weather was too cold for outdoor activities on the Friday of Winter Carnival 2022, middle level students and faculty at Phillips Elementary School agreed this year’s celebration of winter in Maine was a great success. The main objectives of this long-standing middle level tradition at the Phillips school are teamwork, school spirit, and just plain fun.

To begin with, Carnival features a week of Spirit Days for the four teams. This year’s teams were 8th Grade Mystery Ink; 7th Grade Joe Brrrs; The Mightier 6th Grade; and The Mightiest 5th Grade. Themes were Monday, Red/Yellow/Green Day; Tuesday Tie Dye Day; Wednesday Western Day/PJ Day; Thursday Twin/Triplet Day; and Friday Flannel Day. Students in each class encouraged one another to dress according to each day’s theme. Points were given for participation. A large chart posted in the upstairs hallway allowed everyone to keep track of the accumulating points throughout the week. Also posted were sign up sheets for other competitions to be held on Carnival Day, Friday.

In the meantime, applications were being submitted by the young men running for the much-coveted title of Mr. America 2022. Contestants were required to submit a brief autobiography and declare what talent they would showcase at Friday’s assembly.

This year’s contestants numbered the most ever with 11 candidates in the running. Each would participate in three rounds of competition:

Casual Wear, when, dressed in their everyday finest, each would parade before the assembly, flourishing their signature “pageant waves”, while the MCs read their autobiographies

Talent, performing their unique abilities in a wide range of skills; and Patriotic, when each, sporting red, white, and blue, and/or other symbols of American patriotism, would answer random themed questions, proving their ability to think fast on their feet, a must for any Mr. America.

Friday’s Opening Ceremonies began at 9 a.m. in the gym. MCs, Acting President of the Student Council Vega Rollins and Acting Vice President Michael Wilkins led those assembled in a Spirit Clap and a big hoorah, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America. Class teams were introduced.

Round 1 of the Mr. America Contest, the introduction of this year’s contestants, was up next.

From the sixth grade were Chase Bachelder, Quinton Ford, and Tanner Hinkley. Seventh grade candidates were Alex Moody, Clint Murray, and Zane Thorndike; seventh grade: Eddie Sweetser and Myles Dalrymple. Eighth graders Owen Cook, Michael Dalrymple, and Colby Hicks represented their class.

Mr. America Round 2, Talent, the audience was treated to a most entertaining demonstration of talents. First up, the 6th graders.

Chase Bachelder, jokester extraordinaire, chose his riddles and knock knock jokes especially to feature each of his teachers. For example, when he called on Dawn Fidler, ed tech and 8th grade class trip advisor, he posed the question, “What happened when the teacher tied all the kids shoelaces together?”

You guessed it: “They had a class trip!”

Quentin Ford, an artist, displayed a piece of wood-crafting which he’d created for his mother. Tanner Hinkley, musician, performed “America” on his violin.

Alex Moody, who “used to watch a lot of animal shows”, gave his crab imitation. Clint Murray “stacks chairs” – not just one atop another, but painstakingly and precariously balanced to form a regular leaning tower. Zane Thorndike moved and grooved to a rock ‘n’ roll favorite.

The seventh graders were equally impressive and diverse. Eddie Sweetser composed his own original song about friendship and sang it for the audience, receiving a most enthusiastic response. Myles Dalrymple chugged a bottle of sparkling water in record time.

Owen Cook, aka “Hoss”, and Michael Dalrymple, both members of the Raiders’ basketball team, wowed the crowd with exhibitions of their shooting abilities.

Last, but by no means least, Colby Hicks entertained his audience with a series of voice impressions.

Round 3 shifted the competition to a more scholarly challenge. One at a time, each challenger stepped up to the mike and selected a slip of paper from the hands of the MCs. On each was a question requiring a response to an imaginary responsibility to be taken on by Mr. America 2022. For example:

If Mr. America 2022 could choose a theme song for our Winter Carnival, what would it be and why?

As a candidate for Mr. America 2022, what do you think is your most patriotic characteristic? Why?

Following Round 3, the team of judges was excused to deliberate and make their final decision.

In between the rounds of Mr. America competitions, teams competed in a whole different range of activities: The Great Plunger Race; The Toilet Paper Wrap; Hungry, Hungry Hippo; and the Baby Bottle Battle, as points continued to be tallied on the Winter Carnival 2022 chart.

Upon completion of the Baby Bottle Battle, the moment everyone had been waiting for… the presentation of the title to Mr. America 2022.

“Your attention, please!” The MCs called the assembly back to order. Colby Hicks was pronounced Second Runner Up. Chase Bachelder was First Runner Up.

“And this year’s Mr. America is……Eddie Sweetser!”

And the crowd went wild! Congratulations, Eddie!

Following the announcement, the morning’s events continued in the upstairs hallway where a Limbo Tournament and a Dance-Off were held before adjourning for lunch and recess.

Afternoon activities offered further opportunities for the teams to rack up points, including a Trivia Game Show hosted by ELA teacher Nicole Levesque; a Chess and Checkers Tournament in Tom Piekart’s science room; Cribbage in Bonnie Kinney’s classroom; and a Hot Shots and Foul Shooting Championship in the gym under the direction of physical education teacher Kawika Thompson.

When all was said and done and the points tallied, Closing Ceremonies were held in the upstairs hallway. Claiming the Championship title for Winter Carnival 2022 was 8th Grade Mystery Ink. 7th Grade Joe Brrrs finished second. The M9754ightier 6th Grade and The Mightiest 5th Grade placed third and fourth respectively.

Another very special award was saved for the last presentation of the day. The Phillips Raiders’ Spirit Cup is awarded by the middle level teaching staff to the team that consistently demonstrated good sportsmanship, teamwork, school spirit, and overall positive attitude throughout the week long event. All the teams were commended for their “awesome participation” throughout the week and for their efforts in making this last day so great.

The 2022 Runner Up Cup went to the Mightiest 5th Grade, for their “especially good behavior and teamwork throughout the week”. The Spirit Cup was presented to the 7th Grade Joe Brrrs.

As with all the old traditions at the Phillips School this year, the final day of Winter Carnival was bittersweet since it would be the last such event held specifically for the middle level Raiders, who will join the MSAD 58 Middle School in Strong next year. All agreed that it “went out with a bang”. A moment was also taken to look at the up side. Next year could be even bigger and better!