By Aidan McGirr ’28
On Wednesday, January 29th, at 3:30 PM, freshmen and sophomores took time out of their afternoon to attend SEEK (and You Will Find)—joined not only by their classmates but by faculty members as well. The event began in Hearst Auditorium with a reading from the Gospel of Matthew, followed by a moment of quiet prayer. The atmosphere was reverent and attentive.
Shortly after, everyone moved to the AAC Gym, where students were selected to compete in a push-up contest—first against each other and then against the top two teachers. Through tough competition and sheer determination, Mr. Thomas O’Connell ’15 clinched victory for the staff with an impressive 64 push-ups in one minute.
The games continued with a balloon relay race. In this challenge, participants had to hop with a balloon between their legs, then sit on it until it popped. Once the balloon popped, the contestant would sprint to tag the next teammate, similar to a relay race. Six teams, each consisting of six players, competed in the first round, with the top two teams advancing to face the faculty. A common strategy among competitors was to bend the rules by minimizing their hopping or adjusting the balloon mid-race to prevent it from falling. An unmentioned but crucial rule emerged: if a contestant’s balloon popped before they reached the chair, their entire team would be disqualified. Despite a competitive effort from the faculty, the students secured victory by consistently popping the balloons on the chair, maintaining a faster pace, and transitioning efficiently between teammates. However, some faculty members attempted to gain an advantage by allowing the next competitor to start before their teammate had returned, making it a close race.
Next was a spin on musical chairs—featuring a whipped cream pie twist. Instead of simply losing a seat, eliminated players had the opportunity to pie an adjacent contestant in the face. The game led to playful betrayals, with students often targeting teachers for the pieing. Fortunately, each participant was equipped with a garbage bag to protect their clothing. While no official winner was declared, an honorable mention goes to Fr. Peter Heiskell ’86, who, when faced with the choice of pieing two students, took the unexpected route—pieing himself instead.
Following the games, everyone returned to Hearst Auditorium for Eucharistic Adoration, featuring a witness talk by Mr. Daniel Haslbauer ’11. His powerful message emphasized that everything in this universe is a miracle and that God will always provide—when given the opportunity. The students were respectful and, as I observed, truly sought the Eucharist and God’s plan for their lives.
Later in the evening, one of the most anticipated moments arrived—the raffle, courtesy of the Marianist LIFE Team. The prizes included three hats, two T-shirts, and one long-sleeved shirt. Finally, everyone returned to the AAC Gym, heading upstairs for dinner, which featured chicken cutlet sandwiches, chips, and cookies. In my opinion, the meal was both delicious and plentiful.
As the night came to a close, everyone departed, having experienced a well-organized, engaging, and meaningful event—thanks to the efforts of Mr. Gallery and the Marianist LIFE Team.
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