From Cracked Eggs to Crosswords, Students and Faculty Have Fun on Community Day

Regians join Mr. David Grunner '05 (not pictured) to tackle the New York Times' daily crossword puzzle.

How to Crack a Few Eggs. The Tuesday New York Times Crossword. Who Has the Cutest Dog?

These are just three of the wonderfully random and entertaining sessions offered during Regis’ virtual Community Day on Tuesday, March 30. Designed to give faculty and students a break from remote instruction, the day, which was inspired by a similar one at Fairfield Prep, also allowed students to virtually socialize with their classmates and teachers outside the realm of formal academic work.

The day began with prayer services for each grade. For each of the following three hour-long periods, students could choose from up to seven different discussions or demonstrations  hosted through Zoom by staff members. Topics ranged from the serious, like Mr. Eric DiMichele’s roundtable discussion on the politics and policy surrounding the pandemic, to the soothing, like Dr. Eelka Lampe’s guided meditation, to the practical, like Mr. Chris Rose’s demonstration of cooking eggs for breakfast, to the pet-focused, like Mr. Frank Barona’s “Who Has the Cutest Dog?” and Dr. Allison Tyndall’s “Some Of Us Also Like Cats (the animals not the musical): A Show-and-Tell Session."

While many faculty members led or attended discussions, they were free to participate as much or as little as they wanted. Similarly, students were not required to attend any sessions.

“While we are pleased with how relatively smoothly the transition to remote instruction has gone, the last few weeks have been a trying and stressful time for everyone in our community,” Regis Principal Fr. Anthony Andreassi, CO, said. “Community Day gave us all an opportunity to catch our collective breath and have a little fun. I’m grateful to all who participated and made the day so enjoyable.”

A selection of screenshots from Community Day is below:

Fr. Andreassi and a group of seniors lead the freshman prayer service.

Mr. Rose shows off his preferred butter as he prepares breakfast in his kitchen.

Mr. Mariano shows Regians how tie bow ties and neckties.

Fr. Andreassi and a group of students discuss The Exorcist.

Mr. DiMichele and a large collection of Regians discuss the medical, moral, political, economic, and social ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Office of Development's Mr. James Kennedy '02 and Ms. Caitlin Devine Masserano (not pictured) explain how the generosity of alumni, families, and friends allows Regis to remain tuition-free.

Mr. Gordon Farley '14, who served as an Alumnus Mentor during the 2018-19 academic year, virtually returns to Regis to share his experiences in medical school.

In Mr. Dimichele's second session of the day, football fans debate who the Giants and Jets should take at the top of the NFL Draft.