By Ivy Eastland

“Are you a Jaguar or a Panther?” This question has become a common icebreaker in Sibling Squads, a bonding question for teammates, and a new staple of the Winsor community. 

Last year, SASS surprised the student body with the creation of the Jaguar versus Panther rivalry. This competition consists of the entire Winsor community, students and faculty alike, being assigned either Jaguars or Panthers as their team and competing for points in a variety of different events, including trivia, Jamnesty, and Field day.

The big reveal of the winner comes at the end of the year, but as of now, the Panthers are ahead. Jaguars: you’ve got some catching up to do! Read on to learn about the highlights that have led to the Panthers taking the lead, and how Jaguars can reclaim the lead during the final months of school. 

Perhaps the most exciting activity was SASS’s trivia assembly during Spirit Week – the game began with questions about Winsor’s history, and ended in a finish-the-lyrics game. The Jaguars ended up winning, but SASS co-head Sora Karanja ‘23 still had hope for the Panthers. She remembers that the assembly “was sort of a spontaneous idea, but we really wanted the Winsor community to connect and engage in some competitive activities. Even though the Jaguars won that assembly, the Panthers are going to catch up!” 

Another school-spirit themed activity was Giving Day on February 9 – the only day, besides Red Day, when students get decked out in all red to celebrate Winsor! Giving Day is a celebration of alumni’s support of Winsor, and many use this day to donate. Walking around school on Giving Day was quite the sight. Co-head of SASS Caroline Friendly ‘23 recalls that “it was so exciting to see everyone supporting Winsor.” 

Another exciting activity that contributed to the score was Jamnesty. Apart from being a magical night of music and poetry, attendance at Jamnesty meant that one’s team got a point. The Jaguars’ attendance outweighed the Panthers’, helping them beat the Jaguar’s lead.   

Finally, the most recent opportunity to represent one’s team was the fundraiser held by the South Asian Student Association (SASA) and Conserve Our World (COW). This fundraiser raised money for recovery from the earthquake and intense flooding that recently devastated much of Pakistan, Turkey and Syria. As of now, Panthers are contributing about 60% of the donations. 

The Panthers may be ahead now, but the Jaguars still have the opportunity to take back the lead. There are many upcoming opportunities to represent your team – the most exciting being field day! Held immediately after the spring semester math exam, field day will be full of racing, jumping, and hula hooping; Jaguars and Panthers will be assorted into teams to fight for the title of winner With only a couple months of the school year left, the competition is ramping up. Field day will be the ultimate deciding factor; so, get ready to fight for your team!