There was a field day on May 1, 2026, for the sophomores at Osbourn. This was because they had won the Battle of the Classes, which was a five-week competition between the grade levels to be on time and in class. A recap of the challenge: freshmen won the first week, which was reducing tardy sweep referrals; juniors won challenge two with improving attendance; juniors won the third challenge with the least amount of tardies; and the fourth and final challenge was total class period attendance, and was worth double points. The sophomores ultimately won that round and took over the competition.
The planning of the field day was done by administration. They planned during the spring and talked to all the staff in order to fully figure out what time, when, and how lunch would continue. Ms. Browning was the coordinator for this project, although everyone eventually came together and planned it fully. The admin overall agreed that they wanted something to bring the students together, while also reinforcing the rules. Admin would like to attempt to do this again since they saw the students excited to improve attendance and participate in challenges.
“Planning the Battle of the Classes was truly a team effort. Throughout the spring, our attendance committee met regularly to discuss ways to improve attendance, build school spirit, and create positive incentives for students. Together, we developed a series of weekly challenges focused on attendance and punctuality, tracked the data, and celebrated each grade level’s progress along the way. Once the winning class was determined, we worked collaboratively with teachers, security staff, facilities, cafeteria staff, and student leaders to organize a Field Day that was safe, engaging, and rewarding for students,” said Dean of Students, Ms. Carla Browning.
“We wanted to create something positive that brought students together while reinforcing the importance of showing up to school every day. Attendance is one of the strongest predictors of academic success, but we also wanted students to have fun and feel connected to their school community. The Battle of the Classes gave students a chance to compete in a friendly way, build class pride, and see how their daily choices contribute to the success of their grade level. It was exciting to watch students encourage one another and celebrate improvements together,” continued Browning.
“One of the most rewarding parts of the Battle of the Classes was seeing students become excited about improving attendance and participating in something larger than themselves. The competition created positive energy throughout the school and gave students a chance to earn a meaningful reward for their efforts. We are always looking for ways to strengthen school culture and student engagement, and this event showed that when students are given a common goal, they can accomplish great things together. I would love to continue building on that success in the future,” Browning concluded.
The field day included hula hoops, sack race, soccer, water balloon fight, and tug of war. The food was burgers, hot dogs, chips, and small water bottles.
“The field day was just okay. I ended up getting sunscreen in my eye, and that was extremely painful, but I was happy to get out of class for once,” said sophomore Jackson Doll.
“I thought it was pretty cool and it encourages everyone to be on time,” said sophomore Allison Recinos.
Since there was a wide variety of games, students had many different favorites.
“I liked tug of war. My side lost, but overall, it was fun to do,” said Doll.
“The 3-legged race since I participated with my cousin and walking around the track with my friend, Kimberly,” said Recinos.
“My favorite activity would have to be tug of war and walking with my friend Alli around the track,” said sophomore Kimberly Fuentes.
If you’re a sophomore, what did you think of the field day? Tell us in the comments!
