By Julia Trost, Staff Writer
On Wednesday, February 16th, students gathered around the stairway in the humanities hallway to participate in a dramatic reading of the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. With a hint of love in the air due to the celebration of Valentine’s Day two days prior, National English Honor Society (NEHS) welcomed members, students, and teachers to reenact the famous scene.
The annual Romeo and Juliet Flash Mob continues to represent a staple of River Hill tradition, a chance for fanatic literature lovers to express their inner love for poetry. A group of Romeos gathered on the bottom of the stairwell, while the Juliets stayed on top. Each group was handed a script, which they read and chanted together in unison.
Two years ago was the first time that River Hill hosted a Romeo and Juliet Flash Mob. NEHS would have hosted a second flash mob in 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented them from doing so. However, this year, there was a much larger turnout. English teacher and NEHS sponsor Ms. Curry brought the event to River Hill after participating in a Romeo and Juliet flash mob herself with teachers across the country at a national english teacher convention.
Ms. Curry was more than happy to bring back the flash mob this year, exclaiming that she was “so excited about how many people decided to come and celebrate Shakespeare.” One of Ms. Curry’s favorite moments occurred after the event when she saw two girls dramatically reciting the script again to each other privately.
Ms. Schultz, another sponsor of NEHS, remarked, “I was so happily surprised that as many people showed up and I loved the fact that others watched it; they didn’t participate per say directly but they were participating in that they were watching and I thought that was very cool.”
Whether participating directly, admiring the wonderful acting of participants, or reciting the script in their heads, students added to the joyous atmosphere.
Ava Aria, a junior and officer of NEHS, added, “The event was so successful. We had a huge turnout and it was so fun to be a part of it!”
After the immense success of the second River Hill Romeo and Juliet Flash Mob, NEHS hopes to continue this tradition for years to come. The power of Shakespeare continues to unite those across the world and the River Hill community.