A gym crowded with students wearing a plethora of apparel representing schools from across the district and the chant of spectators as they cheer their friends on — this is the annual IDC Fantastics event. Hosted at Homestead High School’s gym this year, the event occurred after a one-year hiatus. Intra-District Council (IDC) Representatives in the 2016-2017 school year chose to cancel the event due to a variety of reasons. But changes this year, including choosing the central location of Homestead to allow for shorter commutes, increasing promotion, featuring guest performances from each school and implementing new games gave way for the event to be successfully planned again.

“I think this year is a new start,” said senior and IDC Representative Alison Chen. “The last time we had fantastics was when I was a sophomore so the only other class that has ever experienced it was 2019.”

Leading up to the event, up to ten participants were recruited from each school and trainings were conducted to familiarize them with the games that they would compete in on March 23. These games included the chariot race, sing-along, sock tug-of-war, balloon pop, the wave, orange necking, shape game, human table and guitar pass. Both the training process and the environment at the event itself worked together to build up participants’ enthusiasm.

“The purpose of IDC Fantastics is to bring schools together in a fun and exciting environment,” said Chen.

The clear increase in attendance across the schools made the event successful. Lynbrook won all but one of the games and proceeded to win the event overall, marking the third time in a row that Lynbrook has won. Performances from singer Hamza Jabbar from Homestead, Monta Vista Bhangra, Cupertino Dhadkan and Lynbrook Jump were interwoven between the games.

“Performances definitely made a positive impact and brought the entire event together,” said senior and IDC Representative Anushka Srivastava. “They were good transitions and breaks between the games.”

Whether the event will continue in following years is up to future IDC teams, but IDC Representatives plan to continue to focus on promotion and other incentives to boost attendance. One thing is clear: intra-district bonding is more than welcomed by the students of FUHSD.