Top 5 Deerfield Traditions

Deer!eld has a long history, stretching all the way back to the school’s founding in 1797. With a lengthy history comes many beloved traditions that are cherished by both students and sta" alike. Here are a list of 5 favorites amongst students: Choate Week Students love Choate Week because of the tradition’s rich competitiveness and embodiment of school pride. During Choate week, students and faculty bleed green more than ever. Students bombard each other with battle cries and enjoy bacon cookouts as the anticipation for the fateful day continues to grow. #e week leading up to Choate Day is capped o" by the pep rally and bon!re, fully invigorating students with school spirit. Students welcome Choate Week as a much needed change of pace. Ted Freedman ’27 said, “It [Choate Week] reinforces school spirit and togetherness that can dry up [during] this time of year when we’re settled into school routines and the weather is getting harsher.” Choate Day provides an opportunity for students from both schools to connect and compete. Among the sports teams squaring o", the long awaited football game between the rival schools is a classic. Unfortunately, however, the greatest team of all, Quad Squad, is unable to compete in the beloved tradition.Semi-formal Dance #e Semi-formal Dance, colloquially known as Semi, takes place during the Turkey Term. As soon as students return from #anksgiving break, they begin to dress up in formal attire, and in the weeks leading up frantically searchingsearch for a date,. Scquckly scrapping together a charming poster in the iLab, and hoping to snag for some cute pics. Another plus of the event is the free food. A major down side of the dance includes the requirement of female interaction from male students in order to !nd a date. Step Up While a bittersweet ceremony overall, students still get to enjoy the end-of-year Step Up dance, as it is a rite of passage in which every class rises to their new grade. During this ceremony, students also convenesaround a large bon!re, feeling both the physical and !gurative warmth of their new class. #e soon-to-be seniors wear white, symbolizing their transition and new role in the school. Charlotte McFadzean ‘26, a senior, re$ected on the experience, saying, “It’s the last day of the school year. You get to be with your class as you become the new senior of the school. It’s an important event to become a leader.” School Meeting Every Wednesday students !le into the Hess Auditorium for School Meeting, which occurs each Wednesday. Students sit with their grade and shout their grade-wide cheers, before culminating in a collective singing of the Deer!eld Cheering Song. #ere are presentations from di"erent departments in the school, mindful moments, and game show style activities. Students also get the opportunity to share their experience through programs such as the Deer!eld Story. Senior Bryan Gianvecchio ’26 elaborated, saying, “I like that there’s a good variety of things. Some academic stu", performing arts, and the occasional motivational speaker.” He added, “Yeah, it’s a good time. You get to be with your friends and experience cool music.” Sit-down Meals Sit-down meals occur during lunch on every weekday except Wednesdays, and excluding the winter term, on Tuesday and #ursday dinner. As part of the school tradition, all students must serve as their tables !rst or second waiter, usually once per school year for both roles. #e tables are also assigned randomly, allowing for interactions between unfamiliar students and sta". and creating a unique experience. Sit-down serves an important role in fostering community: Deer!eld states on their website, “At Deer- !eld we believe that sit-down meals provide an important opportunity for strengthening our community.”