No summer is complete without a trip to the beach. One of the best ways to enjoy So Cal beaches and hang out with classmates, friends, and teachers is LSI’s Annual Beach Party and Beach Volleyball Tournament! This year, the event was held in Santa Monica. The weather was perfect for a day at the beach.
The volleyball tournament is one of the most anticipated events of the year. In the weeks leading up to the Beach Party, each campus could be found getting their team in shape and ready for the big day. South Bay and OC campuses are located closer to the oceans in Torrance and in Huntington Beach which may have given them a slight advantage when practicing. However, each team brought their A-game and fought hard! In the end, only one team could be declared the champions and for 2019, OC campus gets to take home the trophy. Great job, OC!
Once the games were over, hungry students and players were treated to a delicious picnic lunch of sandwiches, chips, and drinks. It was a very hot day so everyone was thirsty and ready for more fun. Grazi, staff at OC campus, led a dance class on the sand. She demonstrated some simple steps that were easy for students to follow. Everyone participating had lots of fun dancing. Even if you don’t like to dance, it was fun to watch the large group dancing together.
The water games down by the water are also a fan favorite! Tug-of-war is a game in which everyone can participate; the more people you have, the better your chances are to win! Usually, Downtown LA had the most students and this certainly helped them keep their winning streak! Teams from each campus also competed in relays in and near the water. It was such a fun way to cool down!
The final competition of the day is the “disgusting foods” contest. Each campus forms a team of five for this food relay. Each person must completely eat a “disgusting food” and then the next person begins eating another “disgusting food.” The winning team is the group that finishes all 5 foods first. This year, the foods included red chilies (spicy!), Baby Ruth candy bar (sweet!), a whole lemon (sour!), bitter melon (interesting!), and dried squid (chewy!). Each team worked really hard to chew down their foods, but again, only 1 winner can take home the prize!
LSI’s Annual Beach Party is always one of the best events of the year and this year was no exception! We were happy that so many students participated and enjoyed their time with LSI at the beach. Thank you to all of you who came out. We look forward to next year!
By Sylvia Sunada,
(SBLA Program Coordinator)