The annual Jamboree, which took place on Saturday, Oct. 18, provided both familiar and new experiences centered around connecting the Pinewood community.

   This year, Pinewood administrators shifted the focus from food to activities through the addition of carnival-style games. These activities allowed attendees to earn tickets, which were redeemable at a central prize table.

   Associate Head of School Kyle Riches hoped that the shift to being more game-focused would allow Jamboree to draw the attention of older Pinewood students and inspire them to get more involved.

   “Historically, the Upper Campus students who show up have usually been the ones running booths,” Riches said. “This year, we wanted to encourage all students here at Upper Campus to come and participate.”

   In addition to bolstering engagement, the new games were also intended to help clubs fundraise. Senior and Associated Student Body Treasurer Braxton Kimura was excited for student groups to explore new opportunities this year.

   “We hoped that the implementation of games would lead to more engagement with each table,” Kimura said. “This would lead to more profit, which could allow clubs to have more activities and events throughout the year.”

   Senior Kyle Ma, the leader of Culinary Collective, mentioned that the games also offered an easier way for new clubs to host tables at Jamboree for the first time.

   Additionally, sophomore Nova Weissman believed that the focus on activities encouraged participation among the whole family and made Jamboree more community-centered.

   “I thought [the games] were a good way to introduce people to Jamboree, especially since you sometimes brought friends or family along as you went to the tables,” Weissman said.

   Another new aspect was the Jamboree Showdown, a team-based sports competition involving games such as volleyball and spikeball. Junior Sean Sirhan, ASB Vice President and a coordinator of the event, emphasized its ability to foster connections throughout the student body.

   “It was cross-grade, so more people got involved and a lot of the games got really competitive,” Sirhan said.

   This Jamboree also launched the use of prepaid gift cards. Junior Zachary Gill, a leader of the Climbing Club, explained that this new payment method was useful for both parents and younger children.

   “The new system is very convenient, especially for kids who don’t own debit cards,” Gill said.

   Although many new aspects were added this year, the heart of Jamboree, engagement and school spirit, remained the same. Senior Gwenneth Chang, the leader of Pride Club, emphasized the positive atmosphere she felt at Jamboree.

   “I think [the new format] was really helpful for meeting new people and going beyond your boundaries to try new things,” Chang said. “This year, the value of community really showed.”