This Friday night, October 14th, the Wayland High School football team will play on the home turf for the second time this season. Instead of having a Stomp after the game, students are invited to attend Open Mic Night.

UPDATED (10/14/11 – 8:18am: Due to inclement weather, Open Mic Night will take place in the Commons, not under the arts building canopy.

Open Mic Night will be held under the arts building canopy right after the football game against Lincoln-Sudbury. Unlike Stomp, there is no admission fee for the event.

Athletic director Justice Smith and band conductor Joseph Oneschuck created Open Mic Night to entertain students in an illegal substance free environment after the game. Both wanted an idea that would appeal to everyone on campus.

“We want to get everyone involved,” said Smith. “So what we decided to do is to create this Open Mic Night to have our students display their talents for one night.”

The event will be emceed by senior Jared Brisson, who as a musical artist is known as “Jay Bird.”

Among the performers are special education teacher Jared Walsh, seniors Anna Sharry and Tori Hill, Jay Bird, sophomore Evan Brisson, the WHS a capella groups and the Window Dance Ensemble. The show will include rapping, dancing, singing and comedy.

Food, hot chocolate and coffee will also be served at Open Mic Night.

“I’m very excited, and I think it’ll be fun,” said sophomore Matt Kipp.

Open Mic Night has been organized by Smith and Oneschuck, with the help of members of the Youth Action Committee: sophomore Samantha Hayward, juniors Isabel Schwartz, David Whitesell, Greg Karpacz and Samara Oliver, and senior Ariel Cormier.

“We all really like the idea, so we’re going to put it into action,” said Schwartz.

Walsh and fellow special education teacher Chris Taylor are also playing key roles in the planning of Open Mic Night.

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) is also helping to organize Open Mic Night, while the Wayland Cares Coalition is providing the funds for the event.

“That’s kind of the family we have,” said Smith. “We’re working together and trying to set this up. We just want you all to know this is something totally different, and we want you all to come.”