COLONIE — The sixth annual Raiderfest was held on the high school grounds Saturday, May 18.
The day-long community event, sponsored by the ICARE student group, focuses on “wellness, togetherness and a sense of humanitarianism.” The purpose is to unite Colonie residents through games and activities for children, information booths, demonstrations, and a STEAM exhibition/competition.
The day began with a Hill of Heroes ceremony, where Michael Ambrosio was honored posthumously with the school’s first Kind Human of the Year Award. Coach A was a long time multi-sport coach, physical education teacher and otherwise cornerstone of Colonie High athletics for three decades. He died suddenly in January.
It wrapped up with a powderpuff football game with senior girls taking on the junior class. Boys from each class acted as frustrated coaches and referees.
“Our hope is to break the impersonal interactions of an electronics saturated society and to bring the bonds of personal interactions and a true neighborhood feeling back to the wonderful residents of Colonie,” according ICARE. “The day’s events are packaged to invite people of all interests and from all walks of life.”
STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering the Arts and Mathematics. The exposition featured students from all over the Capital District showcasing their skills through presentations of projects in one or many of the abovementioned disciplines. There was also a Discovery Fair with hands on interactive displays in the high school gym.
ICARE operates on the core values of Integrity, Community, Accountability, Respect and Empathy. The altruistic group sponsors a host of events throughout the year with the goal of bettering the community through service work or fundraising efforts.
Click on a photo below to view a slideshow of the rest.
