On Sunday August 26, Washington College welcomed both incoming and returning students with the annual All Campus Picnic. This year, however, a fireworks show at dusk was a new addition to the day-before-classes cookout. The event attracted a large number of WC students as well as community members.
Laura Wilson, the coordinator of campus events, explained that Chemistry professor Dr. Conkling "supplied the school with fireworks, while the president's office paid for the rest of the picnic."
Conkling had originally organized the firework show for last year's commencement, but bad weather prevented the show.
"When the fireworks were rained out last year, I asked Dr. Conkling if he would be interested in putting them on at the beginning of this school year," Wilson said. "He thought it would be great."
Students were impressed with the pyrotechnic display.
Junior Jillian Fletcher commented, "They were really pretty, especially the sparkly ones."
Fletcher was not the only student who enjoyed the event.
"The fireworks were great," said senior Maliha Hashmi. "I saw the fourth of July fireworks in Boston over the summer, and comparatively, WC did a wonderful job."
For some students, the fireworks meant more than just the beginning of a new year. Fletcher explained, "We were supposed to have the fireworks last year, so it was like they were for the seniors who graduated in the spring."
That said, Wilson noted that "the fireworks were really nice. Every year we try to do something a little different. Last year we had some puff boys inflated on the campus lawn. They were impressive, but they did not get much attention because the picnic was rained out."
This year, though, the fireworks elicited a positive response. "Everyone was happy," Wilson said. "The dining hall loved having it [on Martha Washington Square] ... and the band enjoyed playing from the upper level of the Casey Academic Center."
The only negative thing Wilson had to say about the cookout was cleanup time. She stated, "The event cleanup was a huge task. There were only five people who helped clean up, so it took a long time."
Other than cleanup, the picnic and fireworks were felt to be a success. Junior Leora Ramiro noted, "[They] brought some excitement. It was something different from previous years."
Fellow junior Stephanie Mlinarek added more praise. "I was impressed with the school," she said. "They did a great job." s a nice way to start off the year," Hashmi said. "It created a really positive atmosphere."
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