Fostering Belonging through Friendly Competition

Each fall, students from Lower through Upper School are welcomed onto either the Blue or White Team, joining a tradition that brings the whole school together and grows right alongside them.
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​Throughout the year, teams cheer each other on, lend a hand, and earn points through game attendance, service hours, fundraising, pep rallies, competitions, and all the little ways students show up for their school. Student Council keeps track of the points, and at the end of the year, one team takes home the win.
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​But Blue & White has never really been about the final score. It’s about showing up, cheering loudly, serving others, making memories, and being part of something bigger than yourself. It’s a tradition that reminds students that at St. Mary’s, there’s always a team cheering you on—and a community to call your own.

For Pep Club President Jane Russell ’27, Blue & White is one of the traditions that make the St. Mary’s community so special.

“I think that Blue and White does a really good job of creating a support system for all of our students here at St. Mary’s,” Jane said. “The point system, in particular, encourages students to support each other by just showing up.”

Jane remembers when simply attending games and other events was primarily about earning points for her team. Over time, however, she began to recognize something more meaningful.

“When we show up for our St. Mary’s community, we are giving back, in a way, to the people and place that pour so much joy into our lives,” she said. “I think that’s when community begins to thrive, when you know that no matter what you are doing, there are hundreds of girls who are cheering you on!”

For this year’s new students, Jane hopes Blue & White will be a way to join that community from the very beginning.

“My hope for Blue and White this year is that it continues to knit our community together, bringing the new girls along with it,” she said.

Blue & White has a unique way of drawing girls out of their comfort zones and into the middle of the fun. A student who might normally hesitate to step forward can suddenly find herself in a lip-sync battle, or a girl who is usually more reserved can be coaxed into a round of human Hungry Hippos or another wonderfully silly, yet joyful, competition. The energy of Blue & White, along with the assurance that everyone is cheering, makes it easier to take a risk, be a little goofy, and jump right in. For new students, especially, those moments can turn a group of unfamiliar faces into friends and a new school into a community.

She saw that happening firsthand during today’s pep rally, when new St. Mary’s girls volunteered to participate alongside students who have been at St. Mary’s for years.

“It’s evident that those girls feel comfortable enough, even after only a week of school, to participate in a silly activity that usually involves embarrassment of some sort,” Jane said. “It’s so sweet to watch as they are welcomed into our vibrant community.”

While serving as Pep Club President, Jane will still have a personal stake in the competition. This is her sixth year on the White Team, and she is the only White Team representative on Student Council this year. 

“I am looking forward to seeing everyone have fun and play hard this year, but I am also rooting for another win for the White team!” she said with a smile.

While Jane enjoys the friendly competition, her favorite part of Blue & White comes at the end of the year, when the winning team is announced.

“There is no resentment if your team doesn’t win; it’s just joy and celebration,” she said. She also looks forward to seeing the top point-getter be recognized, often a student who has accumulated significant service hours.

“It is exciting to watch her get acknowledged for an entire year of tireless selflessness,” Jane said.

Ultimately, though, Jane finds it difficult to choose just one favorite part of Blue & White.

“Blue and White is such a fun and low-stress concept that helps students escape from the ‘school’ part of school and just have fun with each other,” she said.

That sense of joy was especially evident during yesterday’s celebration. Jane loved watching students enjoy both participating in and cheering on the games.

“As a St. Mary’s girl, I think it can be easy to get caught up in ‘the grind’ without remembering that we also love to have a good time,” she said. “It’s so fun for me to be able to look around and see girls just having fun and being carefree, laughing and talking and enjoying what a gift it is to be with each other.”

She also appreciates the freedom students feel to be silly and take risks during a pep rally.

“Some of the games are just goofy, and it’s almost inevitable to be embarrassed a bit, but there is no shame around it,” Jane said. “We still cheer each other on and can laugh about it.”

For Jane, that welcoming spirit reflects something fundamental about St. Mary’s.

“I think this can definitely be attributed to the fact that this is an all-girls school, but also that we cultivate a community where judgment is minimal and love and respect for one another is the priority.”

As a new school year begins, Blue & White once again gives students a reason to choose a side, cheer loudly, serve generously, and have fun together. For the newest members of the St. Mary’s community, today was just the beginning. The competition may be Blue versus White, but the tradition ultimately brings everyone together.