There’s a sense of anticipation at Westerville Central High School on Wednesdays.
It all starts with an email from Assistant Principal Nick McIlwain, who officially kicks off the weekly Wednesday Competition with a challenge to the 120 teachers and staff members at the high school.
This Wednesday, staff received the following message at 12:45 p.m.:
Yesterday, a rock legend passed away due to cancer....... lucky caller number 3 to extension 6814 that can name me the Michael Jackson song he did a guitar solo for will win something wicked awesome!!!!
A minute later, McIlwain had a winner: Teacher Kristen McAninch, who was caller No. 3 with the correct answer, “Beat It.”
For two years, the administrative team at WCHS have organized these weekly competitions as a way for staff to have fun during the school day, McIlwain said.
“We’re trying to make a connection,” he said. “When the staff is having fun and enjoying themselves, that carries over to the classroom and to students.”
Principal Tom Lanier said he appreciates the creativity and fun that McIlwain brings to WCHS.
"We're lucky to have him on our team," he said.
The Wednesday Competition was inspired by Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer who held similar challenges as a team-building activity. Prizes vary among competitions, from a couple of dollars for a cup of coffee or ice cream sandwiches for their entire class.
Last year’s challenges included selfies with a group of students or taking photos with other staff members while having fun. Administrators adapted the competition this year to take into account social distancing and health guidelines.
So far, staff members had to compete to be the first to toss a ping pong ball directly into a cup without bouncing, answer trivia questions or take a face-masked selfie with Superintendent John Kellogg during his visit to the building — a popular challenge that had staff members chasing after him for their photo or going to creative lengths to get their selfie.
Ultimately, Loren Hughes, a secretary in the guidance office, won the competition.
She said shortly after receiving McIlwain’s email, she noticed Kellogg and McIlwain walking by the guidance office. She grabbed her phone and followed them for a couple of minutes before approaching Kellogg.
“I was so nervous,” she said.
She immediately emailed her selfie to McIlwain, beating out the school secretary, Kym Mahovlic, by less than a minute.
Hughes said she appreciates how the competition is inclusive to all staff and how it gives everyone something to look forward to on a Wednesday.
“I just want to win,” Megan Lemmon, a guidance counselor, wrote in an email to McIlwain after falling short in this week’s challenge.
Lemmon, who has been within the top five of previous competitions, said the challenges are all in good fun.
“It’s like a good morale boost for the building,” she said. “Especially with everything going on right now, it brings some levity to the building that I think we really need.”