Rock-Paper-Scissors: An Enduring Tradition

Every November for the past 17 years, high school students, faculty and staff have signed up for the rock-paper-scissors (RPS) competition. Their donation of $5 or more, a requirement of every participant to enter the competition, has helped feed families in need on Thanksgiving Day. It has also given them an opportunity to win the annual RPS competition and to be immortalized on the RPS Wall of Fame. The tradition was started by Joel Davis, the school’s high school math teacher and department chair.

“When I was in college at Taylor University, my dorm played a rockpaper-scissors tournament every year,” said Davis. “After teaching at Westminster for a few years, I thought we could try to replicate that here in the high school.”

At the start of the tournament, participants are randomly matched with opponents whom they have to locate and play a best-of-seven match of rock-paper-scissors. While it can be hectic to keep track of over 120 participants and countless matchups, Davis says it’s all part of the fun.

“I have learned to expect the chaos that comes with running the tournament. Parts of the competition bracket will advance faster than other parts. It usually takes two to three weeks to play the tournament. It often takes time for people to find their opponent,” he says.

When only two RPS participants remain, the championship match is held at the beginning of chapel in front of the entire high school. This past November, Matt Dubocq, bible teacher, battled Seth Carlson, band director, for the title. After a 3-3 tie, Carlson surprised everyone with the win.

“It’s great to see the kids get excited. It is especially good if the match is close. It is bizarre, but participating in a close RPS match is quite nerve -racking . You get nervous. A silly activity can be taken quite seriously. It’s great to think we have a 17-year-old tradition,” added Davis who has himself participated in the competition every year since its start.

After winning the 17th annual RPS tournament, Carlson said he loved how the tradition brought everyone together.

“I loved getting to meet and compete against students that I do not have in my classes,” he added.

When asked about the secret to winning he said, “Always start with paper. Since the name of the game is rock-paper-scissors, most people start by throwing rock!”

To date, the RPS tournament has raised approximately $9,000 to support a joint project by Old Cutler Presbyterian Church and the Kiwanis Club to help feed families in need.

SETH CARLSON 2022 ANDRES CARDENAL ‘25 2021 JOSEPH RICCIO ‘23 2020

Rps Wall Of Fame

ALLISON WATKINS ‘07 2006

JOSE DUASSO ‘09 2007

GRANT BIEHLER ‘11 2008

JOEL DAVIS 2009

DANIEL SHAFER ‘11 2010

LUIS MILLER ‘12 2011

ALEXANDRA BECERRA ’14 2012

COLE KREUTER ’14 2013

ERWIN ESCOBAR 2014

ROB LAVOHN 2015

ERWIN ESCOBAR 2016

ASHLEY KING ‘19 2017

JARY REED 2018

PATRICK WENNIN ‘12 2019

JOSEPH RICCIO ’23 2020

ANDRES CARDENAL ’25 2021

SETH CARLSON 2022