Since 1976, Oasis Night has been an annual event anticipated by students, showcasing Poly’s athletics and other student activity departments. This year’s observance of the tradition took place on Friday, January 16, and included a range of entertainment for students, faculty, families and visitors. Behind the scenes, sports teams prepared for intense matches and games, student groups set up presentations, and faculty spent the past weeks ensuring everything ran smoothly.
Historically, Oasis Night was organized by members of the Oasis Society, who would focus on raising funds for a selected organization. According to the Polygon website, “Oasis Night originated from a tribute paid to a young man who died of polio by his classmates.” In the past, students would spend money at a variety of food and merchandise stalls across campus, with proceeds pooled to support a charity. While that aspect is similar to today’s version, the events of Oasis Night have evolved to better align with the celebratory nature of Homecoming. Rather than devoting the night entirely to raising funds for charity, it allocates time to celebrate student achievements.
“Our athletics department, advancement department and student life department leadership all work in tandem, communicating with operations, maintenance, housekeeping and logistics to make sure that everything that we hope to showcase are all accounted for as best we can,” said Jared Winston, Dean of Students. Winston, along with his team of faculty, ensured that each department worked effectively in their collaboration throughout the event. This year, the main sporting events that Oasis Night featured were Girls’ and Boys’ Varsity Basketball games and Squash matches.
In the weeks leading up to their games, players underwent intense training with a shared desire to dominate their category, and this preparation was not only physical. “Personally, I’ve been working on my mentality before the game and during the game,” said Sam Wyckoff ’28, a member of the Girls’ Varsity Basketball team. “There’s going to be a lot of people there watching, and that can be really nerve racking, so I want to make sure that I’m focused and that I can block other people out.”
Emma Schlesinger ’28, Polygon Staff Writer and member of the Girls’ Varsity Squash team, described her own practice routine for her match noting, “I’ve been pushing myself really hard to come to practice early, stay to the last minute, practice really hard, and just put my best foot forward for Oasis night.”
Cherkira Lashley, Girls’ Varsity Basketball Head Coach, described Oasis Night as “an opportunity to experience school spirit, and a celebration of student excellence that is so central to our school culture.” In an email to The Polygon, Lashley said that as both a Poly alumna and coach, Oasis Night has consistently been her favorite event of the year. She emphasized the importance of the team maintaining its energy during practices as a crucial step in preparation. Varsity
Basketball Head Coach and Athletic Faculty Edgar De La Rosa, shared in an email to the Polygon that “the energy levels will be high” on Oasis Night due to the intense practices that took place in the prior week.
Apart from sports games, many educational and charity events took place across the Poly campus throughout the evening. Charlotte Merchant ’28 and Bailey Hill ’29 hosted a bake sale, with proceeds benefiting KEEN New York, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing physical activity programs for children with disabilities.
According to the Poly Prep website, the organization provides physical activity programs for youth with disabilities. Additionally, the Women’s Equity and Empowerment Service Learning Team, led by juniors Harper Baillie, Anna Reisen, Blake Baird, and Serena Levin, organized a scavenger hunt to raise funds for Sanctuary for Families, an organization whose services support survivors of gender violence. In the Library, student affinity group leaders shared presentations regarding the cruciality of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s work on the course of history.
“Oasis Night is an opportunity for the community to come together—no matter where you’re from, no matter who you are—and celebrate a wide variety of features here at Poly, whether that be athletics, arts, or a commitment to community through the Oasis society,” said Winston. Oasis Night brought together hundreds of students, faculty and families to celebrate the culmination of students’ work.
