OCSA is different from other schools as it is a school that incorporates the arts in the student’s everyday life, but besides that we have unique traditions compared to other schools. These traditions are special and loved by all students and staff and are almost as old as the school is.

GALA

One of the many traditions that happen early in the school year is Gala, Gala is a performance made for the students in the school to showcase their work to the new students and parents what to expect from each and every major. This tradition is said to have started the first year the school opened according to Mr. Conners, the Vice Principal, “the difference is that years ago the school started organizing it before the end of the school year and prepare over the summer.” Back then the show took place before the school year started but it was changed because the district asked for the show to take place when the other open houses across Osceola took place. “I think it’s better this way…it allows people to participate in it, those who are new and weren’t around the years prior” says Mr. Conners.

Now each major is given a little over a month or less to prepare a piece, given the reason why the top groups in high school are chosen to perform in Gala as they have more experience and have the ability to arrange their pieces to where they wish to have it by the time Gala comes around. Each performance is made to be based around the theme of Gala in that said year. The theme of Gala varies each year and never repeats itself, in 2019 it was “Stories Told,” there was none in the year of 2020 because of the Pandemic, in 2021 it was “Together We Are…,” and to this year’s “Enlightenment.” This show compared to others during the school year is the most professional as the school asks for the audience to dress formal or semi-formal rather than casual wear.

COLOR WARS

Color Wars like Gala is one of the oldest traditions alive at OCSA but unlike Gala, Color Wars is an event for all grades and majors. As the name states, it’s a battle between grades but it’s all based on performance and decoration of each grade’s assigned area. Every grade is assigned a color, 6th is red, 7th is orange, 8th is yellow, 9th is green, 10th is light blue, 11th is dark blue, and 12th grade is purple. Each grade also has a specific area where they will be in charge of decorating based on the theme, they choose based off the color they have, additionally they would have to prepare a performance to show off to the school. Middle school fights against each other while High school fights against each other, we keep middle school and high school separate as middle school has less experience compared to high schoolers.

The grades fight against each other for the best decorated area and the best performance. Some of the few rules that students must follow is that they can’t repeat a theme that was done recently in the past few years and that they have to follow the time limit given to them each year. “We have to get everything down packed… the students need to start as soon as they can and immediately stop when time’s up”, says Senior Sponsor and the Principal Secretary, Mrs. Romero when asked about the rules. This year’s Color Wars will take place on March 29th and the performances will be taking place in the covered area at the basketball court.

SENIOR TAKE OVER (RECITAL)

Recitals are a month event where students perform for their peers and even their parents, but the last recital of the school year is always reserved for the seniors to perform. The last recital of the year or Senior Take Over is a recital where the seniors perform one last time in recital. At the current moment there is not a set date on when this recital will take place, but it should be sometime in April. The events that take place in this recital usually has a good portion of every major in some way, some students might organize a performance with various other majors while others make one with all the seniors in their own major.

SEAT CHANGING EVENT

At the end of the school year, usually when the seniors are gone, at some point in the last week of school the students gather at the auditorium where they will move to their new section in the audience. It all starts with high school and slowly move down until 6th grade. Every grade will additionally dress in their new color, the color of the grade they will transition into, and move seats. This event is quite short, and it doesn’t take up too much time but it’s a very important event to admin, the teachers, and the students.