Battle of the Classes Traditions Reign Supreme

Every March, East Rockaway and Lynbrook students and community members look forward to their battle of the classes: Lynbrook High School’s “Class Night” and East Rockaway High School’s “Rock Rivalry.” Both events inspire town comradery and have become beloved traditions in each school’s community. 

Class Night, which originated at Lynbrook High School in 1924, pits each class against one another in artwork, scenery, skit, and dance competitions. The points from this event, added to the points from each class’s homecoming banner and performances in sports night competitions, determine which grade wins the coveted silver cup. The events are entirely student-run, which plays a big part in the student’s enthusiasm for the tradition. 

“Having been able to be a part of Class Night through every stage of my life, most importantly as a mother and educator, I have seen how truly magical the tradition is,” said former student and Director of the LHS English Department Mary Kirby, “It’s about learning who you are, what you’re capable of, setting goals, and working together to achieve them. With Class Night, LHS students create memories, and skills, for a lifetime.”

Just 12 years later in 1936, East Rockaway High School began a tradition of their own: Rock Rivalry. This event encourages students to join together as a class to battle others in a variety of athletic, academic, and artistic competitions. East Rockaway spirit is at an all time high as students participate in activities such as volleyball, mural painting, quiz bowl, and more. This annual contest is the largest extracurricular held by the school, as it has the most student participation out of any school events.

“They put their heart and soul into it for six weeks,” Rock Rivalry coordinator Alycia Fahrenkrug said of the East Rockaway students, “They were together every day doing every aspect of this tradition and they had a great time.”

These two events draw huge support from the communities as well as the schools and show the strong preservation of Lynbrook/East Rockaway spirit.