More than just a game: WHS’s Ping Pong Palooza brings the community together

Who knew what a ping pong table (or two) would bring to Weston High School? 

Installed at the beginning of this school year, the ping pong tables in the school lobby have become a place for friends to gather, exercise, and build a sense of community. Ms. Meghan Conetta, Principal of WHS, said the new ping pong tables have brought “great energy to the hallway, (as) we love seeing our students connect, unwind, and build community together.”

Stephen Shore’s mother donated the tables. Stephen is a student in the community classroom who loves to play ping pong, so his mother felt that the donation to the WHS community would be the perfect gift to the school that could be used for years to come. 

That table has not only become the main attraction of WHS, but also is the catalyst for Ping Pong Palooza, a schoolwide tournament organized by the WHS Student Government (led by Graydon Dunbar (‘27), Jamie Stammer (‘27), Hadley Grace (‘27), and Isaac Schickler (‘27)). 

According to Graydon Dunbar, President of the Class of ‘27, “Isaac Schickler was the brains behind this whole operation. Last year, we were thinking of some Student Government events to put together, and he pitched this idea to me for the ping pong tournament.” 

Suddenly, during a Student Government meeting earlier in the summer, there was a ping pong table sitting in the main lobby.

“This is perfect. We have to make (the Palooza) happen!” Dunbar said.

Mr. Vincent Madar, Executive Director of the Weston High School Student Government, said he was impressed by how Dunbar and Schickler transformed the initial idea into a full-scale event. 

“I couldn’t be prouder of how Graydon and Isaac spearheaded Ping Pong Palooza from initial concept to full execution. They came to me with the idea and have been instrumental in setting everything up from talking with admin, getting people to sign up, forming brackets, and updating the board.”

Student Government intentionally sent out an email to everyone in WHS. “We didn’t put a cap on the participant limit,” Dunbar said, so “students and staff could both sign up.” There is going to be a date each round that people are going to have to play their matches by. They can get together during lunch, during a free period, or whenever else they want with their opponent.“ (We play) with simple table tennis rules: game to 11, you must win by 2. Then, participants have to record their score to (Student Government).”

The randomly selected play-in games began on Tuesday, September 22nd. If you didn’t sign up for the tournament, you can still be a part of the fun by watching the games from the sidelines.

According to Dunbar, the popularity of the ping pong table and Ping Pong Palooza has said a lot about what students want to see in the WHS community. “It’s definitely been a big hit. The table is always packed. There have been a lot of people milling around the table, which has definitely been bringing people together. There are so many different groups of people there that I normally wouldn’t interact with but would play a match of ping pong with.” 

Aside from the community factor, Dunbar explained that he feels it’s “a great way for people to come together in the middle of the day and relieve some stress. I think people want to see more ways to spice up the school day and have fun things to do with their friends.”

The excitement of the Ping Pong Palooza has extended beyond the student body to include the skills of the Weston High School faculty. 

In the halls of WHS, even “some teachers are 1 seeds”, Dunbar explained, referencing the ranking system measuring which students or faculty will play each other. “We had one match earlier today, between Mr. Parlanti and Ms. Luksberg. I think it’s going to enhance the vibe of the tournament.”

Mr. Madar agreed. “I think that ping-pong gives students (and staff) a much-needed break from academic stress to unwind, connect, and enjoy some lighthearted competition with the WHS community.” 

“I fully expect Ping Pong Palooza to grow and become a staple annual tradition at WHS”, Mr. Madar said. “Watching people check the bracket everyday outside of E1, I think people are interested and want to be a part of it so I see no reason why that bracket of 64 won’t grow to something even bigger next year.”

Both Mr. Madar and Dunbar echoed the ultimate intentions of the tournament: “I hope to see that the Ping Pong Palooza brings WHS together,” Mr. Madar explained. “I truly feel like this can bridge different social circles and grades thus introducing students to new friends they might not have otherwise crossed paths with in the hallways.”