Alvirne High indulges in ‘Fools for Love’

Every February, there is a certain holiday that allows everyone we know to indulge in a little chocolate, smile at the smell of fresh roses, go out to dinner and let someone know they care. While all of these things are the conventional Valentine’s Day customs, Alvirne High School has a different tradition it carries on each year. Every Feb. 14, the students in Class Act hold a fundraiser, which they like to call “Fools for Love.” The purpose of this is not only to raise money for the Class Act thespians and their drama productions, but also to turn Valentine’s Day into something that’s fun for everyone at the school. Starting Monday at all lunches leading up to the big day, students are encouraged to buy a sonnet or poem for only a few dollars and send it to a classmate or friend they want to embarrass. On the holiday, the members of Class Act dress up as court jesters, or “fools,” and go to the classrooms of the people to whom the sonnets were sent. They then read the sonnet dramatically – which may include dancing, singing and possibly lying on top of a few desks. “The day will be filled with blushing cheeks, laughter and maybe a bit of desktop running,” said junior Samn Bernstein, a member of Class Act who will be participating in the project as a fool. The sonnets that the jesters read to the students are made up of song lyrics, funny sayings and jokes that are meant to entertain the whole class.