Fall Telegrams

(Deka)

November 16, 2022 | By Kat S.

One of ANC’s most unique extracurriculars is our social clubs. There are four campus clubs: Alpha Kappa Mu for Girls School day students, Deka for Girls School boarding students, Phi Alpha for Boys School boarding students, and Sigma Delta Pi for Boys School day students. The clubs create many opportunities to get involved at ANC and are the source of many Academy traditions going back to their founding in the early 1900s. 

As president of the Alpha Kappa Mu, there is nothing I like to see more than our members coming together and creating an environment for laughter and friendship. One event that encapsulates that feeling is Telegrams. This long-standing tradition at ANC has brought not only the AKM, but the other clubs even closer together. The hard work of our Telegrams performers paired with the club participation makes this event a standout night of the school year. Banquets, the Telegrams songs, and the back campus singing are memories that will not soon be forgotten by club members, and community members alike. 

The tradition of Telegrams has been around for a long time. My mom participated in Telegrams in 1981, and it has been around for even longer than that! Throughout the years, the production has evolved. Originally each club would select four songs to be performed a cappella (without the use of instruments) by eight of their members. The last time Telegrams were able to happen normally was in the fall of 2019, pre-Covid. Although there were makeshift Telegrams in the spring of 2021, it had been three years since the tradition truly took place.

(Sigma)

This year, three of the clubs, AKM, Deka, and Sigma, prepared one or two songs to be performed at Telegrams. Each club had a banquet beforehand and I had the opportunity of coordinating the banquet and being one of the eight AKM girls who sang in Telegrams. We met secretly in the evenings of the weeks leading up to the event to choose our songs and figure out how to sing them a capella. After lots of practice, we were ready to reveal who we were and perform on the night of Telegrams. We performed our songs three times. After first singing for Sigma and Deka, we headed to AKM for our final performance. Walking into the room and seeing all the AKM members, family, and friends from the community cheering us on is something I will never forget. 

(AKM)

Being part of Telegrams for AKM has been one of the most fun and fulfilling experiences at ANC. I would recommend joining the clubs to any student at the Academy. It leads to so many fun opportunities and I can't wait for the next banquet and Telegrams in the spring. I anticipate the performance of the next groups from each club will make spring Telegrams a night to remember! In the years to come, I sincerely hope that the students at ANC will continue the tradition of Telegrams, and bring it back to its former spectacle, with more songs and all four clubs participating.