Freshmen Field Day
Ninth Graders Compete, Connect at Annual Field Day
Upper St. Clair High School hosted its 17th annual Freshmen Field Day on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, in the high school stadium. The event welcomed the entire ninth-grade class for a day of teamwork, competition and fun.
The four-member student leadership team – Grant Casiato, Emma Hollingsworth, Gigi Spina, and Nic Volpatt – helped plan the day’s activities. Eighteen freshman homerooms competed as teams in eight lively events, including the railroad relay, blindfolded basketball, pipeline, name game, bouncy race, hungry hippos, dizzy bat, and tug-of-war.
More than 60 junior mentors served as coaches and cheerleaders, while over 30 senior mentors managed the individual events. The Junior Mentor Program, led by faculty advisors Maureen Chermak, Dr. Mike Funfar, Amanda Haas, and Tom Marquis, organizes Freshmen Field Day each year.
The program’s mission is to ease the transition from middle school to high school by promoting relationships, support, and student success.
“It is truly about the homerooms coming together, bonding with their mentors, and their homeroom teachers,” Dr. Funfar said.
Each freshman homeroom is paired with three to four junior mentors, who provide guidance and encouragement throughout the school year. Approximately 60 juniors are selected annually for the program, helping ninth graders feel more comfortable and connected as they begin high school.
