CFE’s, are they Fair?

Everyone knows about CFEs, but do they know about what goes into making them a competition for everyone to enjoy? If you didn’t already know, CFE is a fun competition where 8th graders compete with 7th graders in fun games, for example, human battleships for points. Whichever grade has more points at the end of the year gets a free period and possibly something else as well! A big thing that is talked about is if CFEs are rigged. In this article, we will talk about that and also talk about what goes into CFEs.

What goes into CFEs? A lot of strategic planning goes into deciding what games to use. According to Mr. Anker, who has been doing the CFEs for 15 years, ¨Over the years we have come up with many games that have worked and some games that don’t work. And so we kinda make a list of games that … are like bad games, games that need improvement, and games that work every time.… There are some games that we come up with that are fun when you see them the first time but not the second time so some games we don´t do back to-back year … For example, a game that we did last year that we might not do this year is the human pinball game where we use the giant beach balls.¨ As you can see there’s a lot of testing and changing that goes into making and finding the perfect game for the CFEs

CFEs are going to be very different this year according to an interview we did with Brianna Balian a member of ASB, she said,” Since Covid was a lot stricter than it is now, and there were a lot less people because they had to social distance last year, this year everyone is going to be there and everybody is going to be watching and we are also not going to be restricted to certain games we are going to have … all the games that we want because there isn’t going to be any restrictions regarding like, oh you can’t be this close to a person, etcetera.”

Now for the big question are CFEs rigged? Well, according to Mr. Anker, when asked if there are any games a certain grade always wins he says, ¨We try to steer away from those games.¨ he continues, ¨Before I did ASB there, one of the games that other people did in the past was a tug of war game and 8th graders always won… so it wasn’t interesting …Things that require a lot of physical strength we try not to do. ¨ We then asked Mr. Anker asked if he thought that eighth graders usually have an advantage, and he said,¨They usually do it because… they really want to win because… they usually don’t win… the year before¨ He continues, ¨We do some repeats so…they’ve seen them before… So they do have an advantage but everybody assumes the 8th graders always win and there have been at least three or four times where they didn´t and when they don´t they are either shocked or upset because they thought… they would.¨ He also stated that ¨Its been over five years since the 7th graders have won¨ 

As you can see there is no clear answer so we asked some students what they thought!

We asked some students if they thought their grade will win. Here are the 8th grade responses: Sarah Ortiz said,¨Ya¨Leland Elmes said,¨I think ya we will¨ Brett Midgley said,¨Yes.¨ Natalia Tima said,¨ Yes, actually we are superior to all the little tiny 7th graders.¨ Jane Luna said,¨Probably¨  Aurora S. said,¨I think that we will win because we didn’t win last year and we deserve it.¨ Anonymous 1, said,”Most likely, the games are mostly rigged.” Anonymous 2 said, ”Absolutely.” Heres what the 7th graders said: Danika Ursea said,”I think we will because in the past at my old school nobody did the spirit days.” Bella Rennacker said,” I’ve heard that we have not won in the past thats what ive heard this year but we have different students this year so we might win” Reese Wickerd said,” No probably not, because the 8th graders seem like they have more passion to win the us.”

We asked 8th graders,”Do you think the CFE last year was rigged? Why?” and they said:

Sarah Ortiz said,” Yes, because I feel like 7th grade did just as good, maybe even better than 8th grade and we still lost by over 50 points. So, I don’t see how that is possible…when we weren’t even like that bad.” Leland Elmes said,” I think it was rigged to a certain extent because there were games that only 8th graders could have won. Like we did this one where there was this giant big beach ball that each class got, and the 8th graders won that because they were taller.” Natalia Tima said,” Yes, because they were giving points based on spirityness. Like, oh the 7th graders were very spiritual let’s give them five points, the 8th graders were spiritfuller let’s give them 500 points.” Jane Luna said,” I only think one part was rigged, which was with the books because I saw that there were hella books in the 7th grade bin and there were … almost like three in the 8th grade last year.” Aurora S. said,” Not really, it seemed like it was fair” Anonymous 1 said,” Possibly… because… the eighth graders have to go to …their … promotion while we do a yearbook signing. I’m not sure they would do that if they lost because if they won they would already get that.” Anonymous 2 said,” I think that it was somewhat rigged just so the 8th graders could have their year … since their first year at Rosemont was … not a year at all.”

We asked 7th and 8th graders,”Do you expect anything from this year’s CFE?”

8th grade responses: Sarah Ortiz said, “No, not really, I mean they were fun last year, but the videos … since I had them during P.E. I couldn’t hear anything.” Leland Elmes said, “I expect a lot of things from this year like more CFEs” Brett Midgley said, “yes, more games” Natalia Tima said, “I expect the 7th graders to suck!” Jane Luna said, “fair game I guess.” Aurora S. said, “Not really, but hopefully improvements” Anonymous 1 said, “I´m not entirely sure but, I do hope we can stay outside the entire time” Anonymous 2 said, “I´m not sure what to expect at this point.” 7th grade responses : Danika Ursea said, “I expect the 8th graders to win “ Bella Rennacker said, “I expect that the 8th graders will probably win.” Reese Wickerd said,”I expect the 7th graders to lose”

We asked 8th and 7th graders, ”Do you want to compete?”

8th grade responses: Sarah Ortiz said, “No.” Leland Elmes said, “I don´t know… probably not.” Brett Midgley said, “if you are in asb you cannot compete.” Natalia Tima said, “If my friends are competing, sure, if I am doing it alone no thank you.” Jane Luna said, “Maybe.” Aurora S. said, “Depends on what my dad says.” Anonymous 1 said, “I hope to”, Anonymous 2, “Eh, not really” 7th grade responses: Danika Ursea said, “I don’t know.” Bella Rennacker said, “I don’t know.” Reese Wickerd said,”sure yea.”

We asked 8th and 7th graders,”Are you excited for the CFE, why?” and they said: Sarah Ortiz, said ”Yes, because they are always so fun and cheerful, and I like that you´re allowed to sit with your friends and I think that’s really cool.” Leland Elmes, said ”I mean why wouldn’t I be excited for the CFE I get to skip an hour of class, It’s amazing.” Natalia Tima, said ”Yes, because I really like seeing people get food thrown at them and they can’t complain.” Jane Luna, said ”Ya, because last year it was low-key crazy so I wanna see what we got like up for this year.”Aurora S., said ”I am because I .. don´t have to learn I can just watch fun things outside.” Anonymous 1, said ”I am because they´re funny to watch.” Anonymous 2, said ”Sort of.”  7th grade responses: Danika Ursea said, “well not really well actually yes.” Bella Rennacker said, “sure” Reese Wickerd said,”oh yeah no.”

We asked 8th graders, “Any tips and comments for 7th graders that are going and competing in CFEs for the first time? “ and they said: Sarah Ortiz, said ”Try to be loud when they tell you to cheer because that’s how you can earn a good amount of your points, and if you´re competing try your best I mean they´re all just fun and games so it’s ok if you don’t win.” , said ”Leland Elmes- Try your best and if that doesn’t work, try harder.” Brett Midgley, said ”get ready to lose, just kidding have fun!” Natalia Tima, said ”Just lose make it easier on yourself and others.” Jane Luna, said ”Don´t embarrass yourself … don´t suck, don´t be a loser.” Aurora S., said ”Just have fun” Anonymous 1,”Wear your P.E. clothes.” Anonymous 2, said ”Have fun and scream as loud as you can.”

So, do you think the CFEs are rigged?