Laughter, friendly competition and plenty of school spirit filled the gym at Pahrump Valley High School on Wednesday, March 11, as students and staff faced off in a spirited volleyball match to raise funds for the school’s yearbook program.
The event, organized by Yearbook Advisor Mr. Curtis, has quickly become a favorite tradition on campus, bringing together students, teachers and community members for an evening of fun while supporting a good cause.
“It’s for yearbook, but more importantly it’s for the community,” Curtis said. “We had this where I’m from for the boys and girls, and everybody loved it whether they won or lost. This is what I wanted for this community, and I think every year we’ve grown.”
Curtis said the game was open to anyone willing to take the court, keeping the atmosphere lighthearted while still competitive.
“I said, ‘Who wants to play volleyball?’” Curtis joked. “I think I said something along the lines of, ‘Who wants to argue with students legally in volleyball?’”
To keep things interesting, Curtis even adjusted the scoring rules slightly in favor of the staff.
“Each year the students have done really well,” he said. “So I changed the rules up a little. For volleyball and for basketball later this year, every time the staff scores it counts for two points, just to make it a little more interesting.”
Despite the scoring advantage, the students proved they were more than ready for the challenge.
The staff team opened the night strong in the first set. With Andi Bishop serving to close things out, the teachers secured a decisive 25-11 victory after leading throughout the game.
The students responded in the second set with a dominant run of serves that quickly put the staff on the defensive. A series of aces and strong serving pushed the students ahead early, and they never looked back. The staff struggled to return several powerful serves as the students powered their way to a 25-4 win to even the match.
The third set delivered some of the most exciting rallies of the evening. Miani Freitas-Faamai delivered an ace that helped spark momentum for the students, while Xe’ane Kamanu added another ace as the back-and-forth battle intensified.
Kaylee Hargis helped the staff regain control with a key ace that gave the teachers a narrow lead. Later in the set, Angelica Thomassian delivered an ace that pushed the staff ahead 18-17 in a tight contest. With both teams trading points late, the staff managed to hold on for a 25-23 victory to reclaim the match lead.
The fourth set proved to be another close battle. The teams were tied at 10-10 before the students briefly pulled ahead. Several exciting defensive plays kept the crowd engaged, including Thomassian sprinting to save a ball that rolled over the net to keep the rally alive.
With the score tied again late in the set, the staff rallied to finish strong. Hargis delivered the final point for the teachers as they sealed the set 25-22 and secured the overall victory.
While the scoreboard showed a win for the staff, the real victory was the energy and sense of community the event created inside the PVHS gym. Students and teachers shared laughs, dove for balls and kept the crowd entertained throughout the night.
Curtis said he hopes the event continues to grow and remain a fun tradition for the school.
“I can’t wait for the Staff vs. Students Basketball game,” he said.
With enthusiastic participation from both sides and a lively crowd cheering them on, the staff vs. students volleyball game once again proved to be a successful fundraiser and a memorable night for the Trojan community.
