Every year the seniors at Toll Gate have hosted a seniors v. faculty basketball game. With the teaching staff getting older, it has resulted in a decrease in the willingness to play in the game. With such a physical sport, teachers, who many have gotten seriously hurt in the past, do not want to take the risk. Math teacher and former class advisor Mrs. Arpin suggested that the class of 2026 host a Faculty Vs. Students volleyball game instead.
The weeks prior to and the week of the game, collaborating with the junior class officers, saw raffle tickets sold to enter in a lottery system to win 6 prizes including: Senior Prom Ticket, Junior Prom Ticket, Dunkin gift card, Texas Roadhouse gift card, Hollister gift card, and a 2026 yearbook. With students going around in advisories and staffing a table at all four lunches, the sales of the tickets racked up quickly. The winners of the prizes were announced at halftime, to provide excitement throughout the game.
Mrs. Arpin was a huge help during the whole process and surveyed teachers asking if they would be interested in playing. Once she got enough teachers to commit, a form was sent out to all the senior class inviting anyone to play. The teachers roster included: Mr. Madore, Ms. Netcoh, Ms. Silvestre, Ms. Palmieri, Mr. Friel, Mrs. Aspelund, Mrs. Caluori, Mr. Randall, Mr. Aquilante, and Mr. Ricci. The student roster included: Will Goodine, Chris Herrera, Braydon Fagundes, Kevin Barker, Brayden Tetrault, Jake Andersen, Oisin O’Donnell, Addison O’Rouke, Gracelyn Cobb, Jaden Roache, Samantha Lin, Damola Oramosu, Dariel Guzman, and Shinyu Vega.
With set up complete and permission from Ms. Caulori, the game was set to square off on March 11 right after school. Kindly, Ms. Caitlyn Zimberlin, girls volleyball assistant coach, volunteered to act as our referee, along with students manning the scoreboard. With a packed and surprisingly energetic gym, the game began. The teachers came out to a hot start, finding themselves leading early in the first set. With both sides still trying to navigate the rules, the teachers managed to clinch a 25-17 set one win over the seniors. During the intermission, senior volleyball player and the head coach of the seniors, Riley Scanlon, tried to amp up his players and form a gameplan to secure a set two comeback.
Set two was a lot more competitive, with long rallies, and well designed formations; both sides looked like they knew what they were doing. Though a back and forth game all the way to the end, the teachers took another underdog win from the seniors, a heartbreaking loss for the assumed favorites. In a postgame interview senior Christopher Herrera said, “It was definitely an unfortunate and unexpected loss, but overall it was very fun and I enjoyed playing against my teachers.”
With time still left, and a crowd wanting more, teachers and students agreed to play another set for fun. This time though the seniors went on an amazing run starting the game 12-0 and holding the teachers to only 7 points, winning 25-7. The teachers then had to quickly wrap it up not wanting to be embarrassed any longer by the disgraceful loss.
All in all the game was successful in promoting fun and spirited activities for students to take part in. With the help of Mrs. Arpin and Mrs. Washington in setting up the event and making everything possible, and the teachers that participated, this event showed the fun part of school and making memories that could hopefully last a lifetime.
