One hundred and twenty students who are involved in school activities and clubs attended the first annual lock-in on Friday, February 28, 2014.

“The lock-in was a chance for people of different clubs to join together and have a great time,” said junior Elizabeth Woodruff.

The fun began Friday night at 8pm as students arrived with sleeping gear, comfortable clothes, and plenty of energy.

“Because it was the first time, it attracted people because they were motivated to try something that was at the school for the first time ever,” said activities director Molly Tomlinson.

Members of the Fox Valley Leadership team and Tomlinson worked together to plan the lock-in.

“The reason we had such a great turnout was because of leaders who stepped up to make the lock-in known by talking to friends or putting it on Facebook,” Tomlinson said.

Members of the FVL team worked before and after school for several weeks to plan for the big night.

“I believe the lock-in was successful largely due to of all the tremendous effort and excitement from the leadership group. We all worked persistently, holding meetings almost every week,  to ensure that the lock-in would actually happen,” said junior David Braun.

The agenda of the night consisted of open gym, ice breaker activities, a large game of capture the flag, dodgeball tournaments, hide and go seek, sardines, and several rounds of a mock version of the Hunger Games. Students who did not participate in the large group activities were able to play board games, ping pong, watch movies, or rest in the allotted rooms.

“My favorite part of the lock-in was playing the Hunger Games because the whole school was the arena and everyone was being active and having a good time,” Woodruff said.

Students who attended the school’s first annual lock- in made use of both gyms, the lunchroom, the wrestling room, and the library but were limited to the indoors due to February weather.

“The only thing we were thinking might change is the time of year that we do it. I think the time of year was fine,

but we loved the idea of maybe

using the courtyard for something. So maybe finding a time to kick off the school year like August or September, or something to end the year,” Tomlinson said.

No matter what time of year the lock-in is held, because of its great success in its first year, FVL team plans on letting their success thrive as a future GNHS tradition.

“It was quite a bit of prep work, but for being the first time, it took longer because of that. I think it will be easier from here on out,” Tomlinson said

The FVL team was able to meet a challenge that they were given at the FVL conference in October and will continue to work throughout the year as leaders at Grayslake North.

“When at the conference, the main theme was ‘how can you make your school a better place’? Many other high schools had awful stories about bullying and disrespect, but when our group was thinking about North, we didn’t really see much of that here. We thought of uniting our school for many students don’t really know people outside their groups of friends or activities that they are involved in,” Braun said.

Most students who attended the school’s first annual lock-in were able to meet new people.

“I feel that [the lock-in] united groups of people together by forming new bonds and friendships with people,” said junior Rugby Walsh.

Students received breakfast and left the school Saturday morning to recuperate from the long night before. In any event, students and teachers alike look forward to annual lock-ins to come.

“Due to the lock-in’s overwhelming success and positive feedback, I have no doubt in another one happening soon. We are definitely open to any suggestions students or faculty may have and look forward to getting together to plan the next one,” Braun said.