Cavalier Publications Duke it Out in CAF&DM Field Day

CavsTV

CavsConnect arrives at CAF&DM Field Day with their Cav spirit in full display.

Every school year, an Olympic-style tournament is held between Coral Gables Senior High’s five award-winning publications, from The Cavaleon to Mr. Rodriguez’s Catharsis literary magazine team. Bringing an end to Journalism Week, the Communication Arts, Film and Digital Media Field Day united the publications for a chance at the illustrious trophy or most spirited award.

“As a class, we had been preparing for a couple of weeks with our coach, Isa Morales who led our daily squats and jumping jacks. Right before the event, hyping each other up before going out onto the field made me realize that the moment to win was now. I was very eager and nervous to see if we would finally take our trophy back,” senior Sofia Rodriguez said.

Taking initiative prior to the games, Quill and Scroll board members co-planned the event with the help of their CAF&DM academy sponsor, Ms. Zuniga. Some activities persisted from 2022, while other games tested individual and team ability. Overall, the Quill & Scroll club aimed to foster a competitive field day with plenty of sportsmanship. 

CAF&DM Field Day began on Feb. 24 at 11:50 a.m., as publications marched down the halls of the 9000, parading with banners, posters and flags. The publications huddled around the Gables track while a total of five games were announced. These included a 4 by 100-meter relay race, three-legged sprints and a hula hoop race. 

“I learned that it is very important to never give up, even though we didn’t end up winning, we kept fighting until the very last minute, and most importantly we had fun while doing it,” senior Anthony Abrahantes said.

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I remember telling the highlights staff before we went onto the field, ‘The pain and fatigue you will feel does not compare to the glory and pride once that trophy is in our hands.’ That’s how I truly felt once we won: glorious and prideful,

— Isabella Morales

As the minutes rolled by, the Cavalier publications put forth up a formidable fight. CavsTV and Highlights, the two front-runners, exchanged the lead several times in the three-legged and relay race, while CavsConnect, the Cavaleon and Catharsis kept close behind, hoping to catch up in the following events. Around 1:00 p.m., students and advisors enjoyed refreshments like popsicles from Ms. Zuniga.  

Sweat and tears culminated with the final showdown, in which each publication competed in the “sudden death” rounds. Victory was on the line, especially for the two front runners: Cavs TV and Highlights.  

Following a stressful two minutes, CAF&DM advisors tallied the points separate from the crowd. Ultimately, Highlights was declared the winner of this year’s CAF&DM Field Day, and Cavs TV was runner-up. Highlights crew members exploded with cheers, boasting their victory trophy. 

While Highlights ultimately won the competition, the CavsConnect team was awarded “most spirited” by the Gables faculty in attendance.

“Having won the most spirited publication award honestly makes me super happy. I’m very proud that my publication was able to receive that. It’s really an honor. As EIC, it’s very important to me that we continue to bond and make everyone feel welcome into the Cavalier family, emphasizing that CavsConnect is more than just a class. I can’t wait for what future accomplishments that CavsConnect achieves,” junior Laura Ridoux said.

The CAF&DM Field Day exhibition holds a firm reputation for bringing Cavalier journalists together while simultaneously promoting camaraderie amongst students. Every volunteer, publication advisor and dedicated journalist made the event possible.

Congratulations to all the teams for their outstanding performance and their contribution to a fun and memorable event.