Prize Assembly to be Shortened

Members of Exeter’s faculty and administration have recently decided to implement a series of changes to the Prize Assembly to make the event shorter and “less tedious,” according to Dean of Faculty Ronald Kim.In the past, the Academy has held a lengthy final assembly towards the end of finals week, known as Prize Assembly, to commemorate certain members of the student body for academic and extracurricular achievement.  Instead of having one assembly that is over an hour long, the Academy has now broken it into two shorter assemblies, one on Monday, June 2, which will host the prizes, and the other on Wednesday, June 4, which will be a closing assembly celebrating the graduating seniors.Additionally, the Academy has also altered the structure of prize assembly. In the past, department chairs read out departmental prizes, but this year the prizes will be listed in a program. The only prizes which the students will hear announced are the “special prizes” that are usually read by the dean of faculty.Kim explained the rationale behind the changes to prize assembly and how they will improve the attendance of the assembly and boost its popularity. “Collectively, we felt that student achievement should be recognized but that the prize assembly could feel long and tedious, and it was also not the best way to cap the year.”The decision to change prize assembly was made by the principal, dean of faculty and the department heads after consultation with their departments, along with faculty and staff who are involved with the end-of-year ceremony.Kim emphasized the importance of ending the school year on a positive and celebratory note, which the new final assembly will be used for. “That will be the last time that this whole student body gathers. Ever. In the same way that the opening assembly feels important and special, the final assembly should feel that way as well.  It will be a short, memorable, can’t-miss event,” he said.Some students found past prize assemblies to be drawn-out and boring. “That assembly tends to get a little monotonous with all the names being read aloud,” upper Callan Malone said. “In the final week of school when students are studying for finals or preparing themselves for summer, prize assembly is often underappreciated, so students are welcoming these changes.”Upper Joe Platte said that the changes were welcome by many students. “In the past they have been about two hours long, and I really don't think that is necessary,” upper Joe Platte said. “It’s one of the most-dicked assemblies of the year by far, so I think changes are definitely warranted.”Many students agree that this change will increase the attendance of prize assembly. “Since it has the reputation of being long and uncomfortable in the hot stuffy assembly hall in early June, some people simply skip the required appointment. With the assembly being shorter, more students will want to go, as opposed to loathing the idea of such a long assembly,” lower Jake Della Pasqua said.Some students said that the common practice of skipping prize assembly was unfair to those who have worked hard for their achievements. “I think it's good that it's going to be shorter, because more people will probably come and pay attention,” senior Carlyn Scheu said.Della Pasqua agreed, emphasizing the inevitability of students skipping the assembly under present circumstances. “In my opinion, students dicking the prize assembly is disrespectful to their peers who won prizes, but also understandable, considering the fact that most student have to study for finals, and there is a large group of students who can safely assume that they aren't going to win a prize,” he said.  “I think these changes will allow more of the student body to be there to honor them, which is why we present prizes at assembly in the first place,” he continued.The change from prize assembly being the last assembly to the second to last is also appealing to students. This will allow the last assembly to be more of a celebration and closing ceremony in honor of the departing seniors.“Not to say those people aren't deserving of their awards, but having the whole school sit through the reading of hundreds of names is not exactly how I think our last time as an entire community should be spent,” Malone said.Others still believe that prize assembly will be mundane. “I don’t think this really makes a difference to me because it’s still a required assembly regardless of the time, but it will be cool to see what they do with the last assembly now,” upper Ryan Magnuson said.