The night of September 13, 2025 was filled with excitement as the gym pulsed with energy. Students of each grade chanted and clapped their hands in unison; the bleachers rattled with students stomping their feet. A pink swirl blurred across the crowd while each grade started to cheer louder than the last, until the moment of truth arrived. After dancing, the seniors claimed victory and the Theme Week/Theme Night trophy, while cheers and applause elevated the new gymnasium.
Each year, the student government selects a specific theme to guide the performance. This year’s student government did not just pick one theme, but staged a full-blown Hollywood competition, each class representing a different production style of E.G.O.T. — an acronym for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, the four major American entertainment awards.
The seniors chased the gold with Emmys, channeling the drama and humor of their favorite TV shows. The juniors put together a concert-worthy performance, emulating the Grammys. The sophomores put together a production worthy of the Oscar silver screen. And finally, the freshman brought out their musical theater talents, orchestrating a Tony-worthy performance.
But the competition was more than just the performance; for an entire week, the classes had been battling it out for the trophy. From scoring big numbers in dress-up day participation percentages and themed challenges at lunch, the week was full of competitive spirit.
When the gym was finally tidied up by the end of Saturday night, and all the silly string was cleaned from the floor, the final scores had been celebrated. The seniors claimed their first-place bragging rights, the juniors trailed behind in second, the sophomores finished strong in third, and the freshman rounded out the ranks in fourth.
The Class of 2029
Class of 2029 set the bar for Theme Night this year, shocking the crowd with a stand-out underdog performance. With a record-breaking 68% of their class, the freshmen showcased an overwhelming amount of class spirit. Typically, ninth graders struggle to find participation and direction in their performances, but this class defied expectations with their creativity and coordination.
Sporting their class color, black, they covered the floor in a dark sea while performing original dance routines from Hamilton, The Greatest Showman, High School Musical, and Frozen. From gymnastic feats to singing solos, their act displayed the class’s array of unique talents.
However, even with such success, they faced the expected difficulty: the week prior, arguably at a disadvantage with their assigned theme of the Tony Awards, the freshmen class struggled with selecting productions to draw from.
There is a lack of popular plays in mainstream media. Most people would be unfamiliar with the elements the class had to work with.
“They gave us a little bit of a smaller pick,” Neil Patel (’29) said.
So, after weighing their options, they decided on adapting overlaps between cinema and theater, finding a sweet spot that people could recognize and enjoy.
Despite their handicap, the Class of 2029 made the most of what they were given; the students were able to deliver a perfect run-through.
Later, their satisfaction with both the night and the practices was evident.
“We placed second. That’s the first-time freshmen have ever placed second, so I was really excited by our performance,” Neil said.
“Most of all, what really made it special for me was not the night itself, but rather the week of practice before, in which we really bonded with each other quite a lot,” Wewish Mahawong (’29) said.
Hitting the ground running and shattering the norm of a struggling freshman class, the Class of ’29 successfully clinched a spot in the top two. The night revealed their strong sense of community and passion through teamwork, leaving Webb in anticipation of what their unity will bring in the coming years.
The Class of 2028
Theme Night for the Class of 2028 was a rollercoaster, filled with both challenges and pride. In the week leading up to theme night, the sophomores faced obstacles that tested their ability to come together as a whole grade. With differing schedules, sports, and summates pilling up, the sophomores were diverted in different directions. Finding time to practice for Theme Night was a challenge.
“I feel like everyone is so busy these days, and there are so many activities during practice times, which makes it hard for us to be unified,” Allison Koo (‘28) said.
The difficulty of balancing commitments and finding unity carried out in their performance, as some moments didn’t feel as polished as they had hoped.
“I feel like the commitment conflict during practice led to our performance during that night being more disconnected,” Natalie Lau (‘28) said.
Even so, the sophomores had plenty to celebrate throughout the night. When the lights hit the stage, and the music started playing, smiles and laughter could be found throughout the performers and the crowd in the gym. Everyone showcased their interest and brought the sophomores together as a community.
“I think our performance was pretty good, especially the dance break where people were showing their talent,” Natalie and Allison (‘28) said.
Beyond the scores and results, though, Theme Night marked a turning point for the Class of 2028. Unlike last year, when Theme Night seemed unfamiliar, this year’s sophomores understood what Theme Week demanded. Theme Night showed the sophomores that their class identity isn’t just about matching colors or shared chants. It is about teamwork, perseverance, and taking pride in something, they built together.
“I think we got a stronger sense of what Theme Week was. Last year we had no idea what we were walking into,” Allison said.
Through the highs and lows of the ride, Theme Night not only showed the Class of 2028 that unity isn’t built overnight but also revealed how it grows slowly through every challenge faced, every late-night rehearsal endured, and every moment shared on stage as one team working toward a common goal.
The Class of 2027
Walking into theme night with blue paint and a Grammy worthy energy, the Class of 2027 felt unstoppable as they waved their bright blue flag.
Before Saturday night, the juniors were leading Theme Week in points, not out of character for the class. Last year, they won second place at both Theme Night and Webb Day–another competitive class competition–even as sophomores.
Despite the juniors’ strong participation in dress up days and lunch-time games, the rehearsal process was anything but smooth.
“The junior class is still getting used to our new schedules [and] having so many more commitments and a larger workload,” Saraya Chigoji (‘27) said. “People weren’t really prioritizing or available for practice as much as they were in past years.”
Still adjusting to the upperclassman workload, it was difficult to rehearse when SAT prep, sports practices, and essays did not align with rehearsal times.
However, the Class of 2027’s presence was ready when Saturday arrived.
“The run-through was pretty successful, but I wasn’t super-confident in our class participation,” Saraya said. “But when we got there, our class really showed up.”
Although the junior rehearsal turnouts were not Grammy Award winning, the Class of 2027 was able to pull through with their enthusiastic participants on Theme night.
The night of the dance was animated with energy as spirited juniors filled the floor, decked out in blue body paint and fueled by dad jokes, all leading up to a hard-earned second-place finish.
The Class of 2026
For the Class of 2026, this Theme Night brought the long-awaited feeling of triumph after four years of trial and error. Before this year, the class struggled with participation and coordination; a weakness made evermore obvious by their repeated losses to each year’s freshman class. But this year, the seniors staged a historic “lock-in.”
“Last year was terrible… we were kind of unprepared because not a lot of people showed up,” Michael Albornoz (‘26) said, “The year before we were still figuring stuff out, so it was nice that this year it actually turned out really well,”
The shift was palpable as soon as the seniors stepped down from their roaring section in the stands onto the open gym floor. Their choreography celebrated nostalgic TV shows from their childhood, embodying the class’s assigned “Emmy” theme. Iconic shows like iCarly, Sam & Cat, Victorious, and High School Musical all made appearances, tied together by a playful narrative featuring characters from Phineas and Ferb as they traveled from universe to universe to defeat Dr. Doofenshmirtz.
“Every class gets to choose how to shine in their own regard… with our own categories to choose, there was still that element of comparing skits or songs and dances, but everyone had their own special style,” Saraya said.
The choreography not only delivered a wave of nostalgia but highlighted the unique characteristics of ‘26. Smart casting choices—like Sam Crawford (‘26) playing Sam from Sam and Cat and twins Annalise Centeno (‘26) and Amelia Centeno (‘26) taking on Liv and Maddie—brought warmth and personality to the performance, creating the sense of unity the class had been missing.
“I saw so much more participation this theme week, and it was beautiful… I really enjoyed seeing everyone having a good time,” said Anthony Ashkar, Mathematics and Computer Science Faculty.
The seniors’ energy was undeniable. Their final number, “We’re All in This Together,” turned the entire gym into a sing-along. Once a class known for low turnout, the seniors ended their Webb Night career loud and proud, finally claiming the victory they had chased since freshman year.
While the spotlight shone on each performance, Theme Night ultimately celebrated something bigger: the spirit of Webb. Beyond trophies and rankings, it proves how much a class can grow over four years. Theme Night would not be the same without every performance, and it serves as a unifier and a reminder of the power of class spirit. Only together can we maintain and transform the traditions that define Webb and bring unique meaning to this year’s motto: “All In.”
