Wily celebrates Community Day twice each year. Our fall and spring Community Day events are an essential part of our programming, designed to bring Scholars and Staff together through fun, connection, and reflection.
The first Community Day of 2025 took place on Saturday, April 5th at Simmons University, making this year our seventh hosting Community Day at Simmons and our thirteenth ever Community Day. Wily Scholars and Staff gathered for a full day of community-building activities, including games, challenges, icebreakers, and thoughtful conversations.
This year’s Spring Community Day was attended by over fifty Wily Scholars! Upon arrival, they were welcomed by Staff, created their own unique name tags, received gift cards, checked in their cell phones, and received materials for a classic Wily game of “I Heard That” – where Scholars and Staff avoid saying particular words throughout the day, otherwise they have to give up one of their five cherished clothespins. The person with the most clothespins at the end of the day wins. This year’s winner collaborated with other Scholars and collected over 100 clothespins!
The day officially began with introductions from Wily Staff, followed by a series of high-energy icebreakers. Scholars and Staff were split into two large groups and asked to line up according to different characteristics—height, birthday, and first names—fostering collaboration. It was incredible to see Scholars from across the Pack so excited to forge new friendships.
Perhaps the most popular event of the day was the boat construction competition. Each table of seven Scholars was given aluminum foil and challenged to build the strongest ship possible within a limited time. Once complete, teams presented their boats to the Pack for the ultimate test: how many pennies their creations could hold before sinking. The teams were incredibly passionate about their designs and philosophies—and, unsurprisingly, very competitive! The winning team received a set of gift cards for their efforts.
Scholars enjoyed a delicious catered lunch provided by Simmons University and had the opportunity to connect with fellow Scholars during this relaxed and social hour.
After lunch, Scholars participated in a variety of small-group activities, including puzzle-making, drawing, Jenga, boardgames,bracelet-making, and more. This free time gave everyone a chance to unwind, connect, and build new friendships.
Scholars were also encouraged to take supplies home with them provided by Hope & Comfort, a local nonprofit partner. Special thanks to the team at Hope & Comfort for providing such a generous offering of free toiletries for Wily Scholars.
Before leaving, all Wily Scholars received a lovely gift bag, put together by volunteers from the Rivers School in Weston, MA, containing snacks, gift cards, fidgets, and mini water bottles. Thank you to all Rivers School volunteers for putting together those gifts!
Spring Community Day 2025 strengthened the relationships within our Pack, reinforcing the most powerful resources Wily Scholars have: each other. We’re grateful to the dedicated volunteers and supporters who make these incredible events possible.
Thank you to everyone who donated or volunteered for Spring Community Day—we’re already looking forward to Fall Community Day!
