Spirit Day 2026

Tihmily Li, Senior Communications Officer
After what seemed like a long spell of cold temperatures persisting into May, the sun shone bright and the temperature rose for this year’s Spirit Day! As always, Houses gathered in Serena Gundy Park for a day of friendly interhouse competition. After students gathered at Greenwood to don their face paint, do one last practice of their cheers and get ready with their respective Houses, they then were transported to the park.

Here’s what happened and the results for Spirit Day 2026!

Kick-Off Event
To get Spirit Day started, House Captains competed in pairs to see which House would finish eating a doughnut off a string first without using their hands. The standings were:
  • First Place: Hawks
  • Tied for Third Place: Bison and Onyx
  • Tied for Fifth Place: Timberwolves and Trillium
  • Tied for Seventh Place: Lynx and Hemlock
  • Eighth Place: Redwood

Cheer Off
One of Spirit Day’s most cherished activities is the House Cheer Off where each House demonstrates their creativity, cohesion and House pride in style. The standings were:
  • First Place: Timberwolves
  • Second Place: Bison
  • Third Place: Onyx
  • Fourth Place: Lynx
  • Fifth Place: Hemlock
  • Sixth Place: Hawks
  • Seventh Place: Trillium
  • Eighth Place: Redwood

Following the Cheer Off, Houses competed in a big group game - usually an activity involving the entire House. The two big group games this year were the Head-to-Head Race and the Hula Hoop Relay.

Head-to-Head Race
Students must pair up to carry a ball held only between their heads, race from one point to another in order to drop the ball in a bucket on the other side. Points are only awarded to pairs that successfully accomplish this task without using their hands (apart from placing the ball between their heads). The standings are:
  • Tied for First Place: Timberwolves and Hemlock
  • Third Place: Onyx
  • Fourth Place: Bison
  • Fifth Place: Trillium
  • Tied for Eighth Place: Redwood, Hawks and Lynx

Hula Hoop Relay
In the Hula Hoop Relay, participants from each House line up with their hands joined and must pass a hula hoop from the first person to the final person. The standings are:
  • First Place: Hawks
  • Second Place: Hemlock
  • Third Place: Lynx
  • Tied for Fifth Place: Trillium and Redwood
  • Tied for Eighth Place: Bison, Onyx and Timberwolves

Before lunch is when each House competes in the Tug-of-War, one of the main events of Spirit Day.

Tug-of-War
Redwood, Bison, Onyx and Lynx had early exits early on in the quarter finals. In the semifinals, Timberwolves and Hemlocks advanced after defeating Trillium and Hawks respectively. The final tug-of-war saw a prolonged and intense match up with neither side giving quarter. Hemlock took a promising lead early on, but the Timberwolves held on to create a stalemate. After a few moments of intense pulling, the Timberwolves managed to claw back victory.

Staff Huckle Buckle
After lunch, the Houses watched and cheered as staff from each of their Houses participated in a Huckle Buckle challenge. Staff who were interested in participating signed up prior to the event. Pairs stand on opposite sides of an area and must race towards each other when the announcer declares “Huckle Buckle…” Once in the centre, each pair must match the description from the announcer. The last pair to demonstrate the correct positioning is eliminated. While the remaining eight teams all scored House points, the top three pairs were:
  • First Place: Hemlock (Mr. Bryant and Mr. LeBlanc)
  • Second Place: Hawks (Ms. Bauer-Kong and Ms. Richards)
  • Third Place: Trillium (Mr. Auger and Mr. Jennings)

Fun Fair, Ultimate Tournament and Spikeball Tournament
Following the Huckle Buckle, students could choose from participating in the fun fair, ultimate tournament or the spikeball tournament. House points were awarded for participation - students and staff participating in the fun fair received passports to stamp at each station they visited. Here were the standings for all three:

Fun Fair
First Place: Timberwolves
Second Place: Hemlock
Third Place: Redwood
Fourth Place: Onyx
Fifth Place: Trillium
Sixth Place: Bison
Seventh Place: Lynx
Eighth Place: Hawks
Spikeball Tournament
First Place: Bison
Third Place: Timberwolves & Hemlock
Fifth Place: Redwood & Onyx
Seventh Place: Trillium & Lynx
Eighth Place: Hawks
Ultimate Tournament
First Place: Trillium & Hemlock
Fourth Place: Hawks & Onyx
Sixth Place: Bison & Timberwolves
Eighth Place: Lynx & Redwood


Tire Derby
To close off Spirit Day, the final major event is the Tire Derby where Houses compete to see how many times they can roll their tires back and forth between two points. House members form a channel by lining up on either side between both points with a gap in the centre. The tricky part? The other three Houses are also rolling their tires through the same No Man’s Land. The House with the most successful rolls from one end to another wins. The results from the Tire Derby are:
  • First Place: Hawks
  • Second Place: Bison
  • Third Place: Timberwolves
  • Fourth Place: Trillium
  • Tied for Sixth Place: Onyx & Hemlock
  • Seventh Place: Lynx
  • Eighth Place: Redwood

Most Spirited Award
Additional House points awarded to individuals who showcased great spirit based on their participation in events, teacher feedback and overall energy:
  • Emma Cooper ‘31 (Trillium)
  • Zach Lanzet-Cloutier ‘28 (Onyx)
  • Malia Sealy ‘28 (Lynx)
  • Simona Sera ‘29 (Hemlock)

Well done to all the Houses! Stay tuned for Celebration Day in June to find out which House wins the House Cup. Check out more of the fun in action on our Instagram.


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Back
No comments have been posted

Greenwood College School

443 Mount Pleasant Road
Toronto, ON M4S 2L8
Tel: 416 482 9811
We acknowledge with gratitude the Ancestral lands upon which our main campus is situated. These lands are the Ancestral territories of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Anishinabek and the Wendake. The shared responsibility of this land is honoured in the Dish with One Spoon Treaty and we strive to care for the land, the waters, and all creatures in the spirit of peace. We are responsible for respecting and supporting the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. When away from this campus we vow to be respectful to the land by protecting and honouring it. We will create relationships with the people and the land we may visit by understanding the territories we enter and the nations who inhabit them.
Copyright © 2022 Greenwood College School

Greenwood College School Charitable registration number: 873553317RR0001
Greenwood College School Foundation Charitable registration number: 860082247RR0001