By: Jessica A. Dennehy
To celebrate Williamsville East’s 50th anniversary, the 2024-2025 Student Council hosted Flames Fest—a vibrant, community-centered celebration packed with nostalgia, fun, and school spirit. Despite being originally intended to be an outdoor event, the weather of May 28th unfortunately dampened the air to the extent that it was moved indoors. The three food trucks present, consisting of the local businesses Cheesy Chick and Just Pizza, along with a PTSA-sponsored ice cream truck, were stationed out in the bus loop; a live pep band was found in the commons, adding ambiance to the area that was otherwise filled with loitering students and East memorabilia; and the obstacle bounce house and club-sponsored carnival games were located in the gym.
Williamsville East’s student-led clubs showcased the best of what East has to offer: creativity, discipline, and leadership. Every club that participated came up with their own activities and management system, with the only adult involvement being the assortment of technicalities and mild objections. Some of the clubs represented that night were the Badminton Club, Model UN, Unity in Diversity, Student Council, Language Honor Societies, Art Club, Sources of Strength, and the school newspaper. Each brought a unique flair to the celebration, whether it was naming a country on a map (Model UN), face painting (Art Club), or even Paperboy, a newspaper original where participants had to throw old East Side Newspapers into targets for accuracy—while riding on bikes. It was a great time when the East student body bonded together.
Hank Bartholomew, a current junior, said, “Flames Fest was great. It was pretty amazing to see all East has accomplished over the last fifty years—all at once!”
Inside the commons, the live pep band—featuring Mr. Buckley on the trumpet—set the scene with energetic music. The commons, alongside the music, featured various memorabilia from Williamsville East’s history as a school, with the first letterman jacket on display and every yearbook from the past five decades on display for attendees to browse. Students, alumni, and even the staff pored over the pages, sharing in their nostalgia and enjoyment as they found photos of family, friends, or even strangers who looked uncannily like them. Adding a modern twist to the nostalgia, a digital yearbook station on student street featured a Padlet, allowing alumni to share updates about their lives post-graduation. Evania Ernest, a current junior, reflected on the strength of the Williamsville East community, saying her favorite part of the night was “seeing the alumni as well as the younger kids who will soon be coming to East. Everyone was having so much fun and it was inspiring to see!”
Armita Rohani, a current senior, said that “At first, I came for the food trucks, but the event itself was very hype. There were games for EVERYONE, and the prizes were really cool! The bounce house was a really good add—even if I lost twice to Jessica Dennehy.” When asked for a comment, Jessica, the reigning bounce house champion, declined—citing a pressing obligation to “write an article nobody is going to read anyway.”
Tickets were sold for just 50 cents each, an affordable nod to the school’s 50-year milestone. Prizes ranged from East-themed mugs and stickers to various fidget toys.
In the end, Flames Fest served as a reminder of the spirit, history, and community that defines Williamsville East’s community. Only because of its student body—both past and present—can the school be so special. On that note, here’s to the next 50 years!