Mona Chen

Early in the morning before school, parent volunteers start to prepare for the All-School Barbecue.

The smoky scent of sizzling burgers wafted across the quad as students, staff and parents gathered for the annual All-School BBQ lunch last Friday. A long-standing PTSO tradition, this event welcomed the new school year with a variety of food and a strong sense of community.

“The BBQ is always something I look forward to at the beginning of the year,” junior Chloe Tang said. “This event is great for school spirit because the whole school gathers together to enjoy lots of delicious food. There’s also a lot of parents that get involved, and seeing them participate makes the whole event feel very inclusive and welcoming.”
 

The barbecue was a complex operation. This year it was led by parents Vidya Vineet and Ramya Vasu, whose challenge was to feed around 1,400 people in under 15 minutes. This event required extensive coordination and planning even before the first burger hit the grill. The effort was made possible by the support of around 30 parent volunteers. 

Volunteers started arriving at 8 a.m. to set up for the event. Parent volunteers signed up for 2- to 4-hour time slots — some flipped burger patties and hot dogs on the grill, while others cut watermelons, wrapped burgers in foil and made sure the setup ran smoothly. 

Parent volunteer Sangeeta Mallik said the behind-the-scenes food preparation for the barbecue began in the morning with checking in and receiving instructions before getting to work. She worked alongside the food preparation team to wash and organize hundreds of tomatoes, watermelons and lettuce, which was then passed on to a group of parent volunteers for cutting. She emphasized that while this kind of work often goes unnoticed, it plays a crucial role in supporting the overall event.

According to Vineet, the parent volunteers prepared around 1,200 hamburgers, 300 veggie burgers and over 500 hot dogs. They provided options for cheese, no cheese and gluten-free buns. Additionally, there were burger toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard and relish, as well as trays of watermelon and piles of snacks for students to choose from.
 

The event also served as an opportunity for parents to help out and become more involved in the school community.

“I decided to volunteer for the school barbecue because it looked like a huge event that needed a lot of hands to run smoothly,” parent volunteer Annalisa Villani said. “Volunteering for this event gave me the chance to support students and staff while getting familiar with the school, which is new to me since my daughter is a freshman.” 

According to freshman Izzy Rupert, the barbecue was a fun and welcoming way to kick off the year. With great food, snacks and a relaxed atmosphere, it brought the entire school together and made her feel more included in the community.

“School community is an integral part of what this school stands for, and this event gives many parents a valuable opportunity to contribute to community efforts as a whole,” parent volunteer Nikita Variava said.