One of the many on campus traditions, Weekly Wednesday Door Prizes, made a virtual return to MSMS this week.

On Wednesday, Sept. 2, teachers Mr. Chuck Yarborough, Dr. Thomas Easterling, Dr. Elizabeth Morgan and Mrs. Lori Pierce hosted the first edition of the zany study hours classic. A number of students joined for a chance to win a selection of door prizes from the hosts.

The event, normally held at the end of Wednesday night tutorials in the lobby of Hooper Academic Building, found a new time and a new medium. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hosting teachers chose to continue the tradition over Zoom and moved the meeting to 12:45 PM instead of 8:30 PM.

Mr. Yarborough, one of the teachers who began the tradition, hopes that the return will help foster a sense of community in spite of the physical separation.

“Ultimately, we are a community, and communities have traditions which help to strengthen the community,” Yarborough said. “While this might be a very minor thing, it is a shared experience that brings us together, and we get to smile a little bit and laugh a lot.”

Four students, all juniors, won door prizes at the event. Junior Kenzie Pitts, like others in her class, knew little about the festivities.

“I really didn’t know what to expect with the whole door prizes concept, but it was really fun,” Pitts said. “Also, now I’ll have a picture frame to put my MSMS group picture in so that works out for me!”

Junior Carolena Graham won a smartphone wallet and a Mardi Gras themed eyepatch from Mr. Yarborough. Other participants won Evolution: The Board Game and an Elton John biography. These prizes, along with any other prizes awarded this quarter, will be sent to the winners’ dorm rooms.

Like others, Graham had little expectation of winning a prize this week.

“To be honest I only joined the Zoom to see what Weekly Door Prizes was about. I had no intention of winning,” Graham said. “It was actually really fun. It helped me get away from the academic atmosphere at MSMS and to think about something other than schoolwork.”

This encapsulates one of the other primary goals Yarborough has for the tradition as a whole.

“At the end of the day, if you’re not smiling a bit you’re not doing it right,” Yarborough said.