“So many smiling faces!” exclaimed OHS instructor Revathi Sundaresan as she stood in the sunlit Forbes Cafe. Ms. Sundaresan was surrounded by fellow teachers, students, and parents, all shouting greetings and registering for the Pixel Festival.

On February 1, Stanford OHS held its annual Pixel Festival event on the Stanford University campus. Around 350 people, 150 of them students, rushed to celebrate the school spirit. As an opportunity to socialize in-person with fellow Pixels, the Festival – despite its short one-day duration – is one of the most important gatherings at OHS.

Pixel Fest consists of a string of activities meant to encourage bonding. One of its key highlights is the Pixel Performances, a showcase of student talents. This year, Student Life decided to invite performers instead of accepting sign-ups in an all-inclusive process.

“We heard that kids wanted a more festival-like feel last year,” said Peter Demyanovich, the Director of Student Life. “My hope was to achieve that by inviting more ‘professional’ groups that perform regularly.”

Of the four chosen groups, two were Talisman and Raagapella, student a cappella groups of Stanford University. Mr. Demyanovich shared that this selection reflected OHS’s unique connection to the institution. “Having Stanford and OHS students alongside each other was very special this year.”

Talisman and Raagapella’s melodies were praised endlessly by the audience. “It was amazing to see how each group member contributed to a beautiful harmonizing sound. They all had beautiful voices,” said Annabella Sakunkoo (‘30). Attendees also loved the singers’ costumes – colorful scarves for Talisman and glittery Indian robes for Raagapella – that nodded to African and South Asian cultures.

The musical performance climaxed with the Pixelstra Club, OHS’s string orchestra. The group was represented by two co-leaders, Susie and Gene Yang, who played three of Shostakovich’s Five Pieces for Two Violins (Prelude, Gavotte, Polka) and Carlos Gardel’s Por una Cabeza. Everyone agreed that the latter, a lively tango piece, was their favorite.

After Pixelstra, the Podcast Club capped the performances with a presentation on wellness. In an episode that featured the Board of Student Health, the team shared tips and stories for re-adjusting to school – an important and timely topic after a recent winter break.

Thanks to the Winter Formal Dance, the excitement of Pixels didn’t wane with the darkening day. At 7:30 p.m., students arrived, decked out in their best, at the Mackenzie Room. This year’s unique theme was 80’s Disco Dinos. OHSers expressed enthusiasm for the theme-based decorations and souvenirs.

“The [dinosaur] inflatables were fun, the free bracelet thingamabobs were really cool, and the dinosaur Pixel stickers were super creative,” said Sakunkoo. “At first I was a little skeptical about the 80’s Disco Dinos, but it ended up being a super fun theme. This event was overall fantastic!”

While their friends danced wildly, several Pixels made their way out for a flashlight walk. Despite the slightly rainy weather, students enjoyed touring the Stanford campus and Cantor Arts Museum with instructors Anne Hruska and Kristina Vetter. “It was a super quiet and nice alternative to a part of the dance,” a student said as he recalled seeing displays of artistic sculptures.

Students also enjoyed unstructured time together. Seniors met to take their own walk around the university campus. Student Body President Hannah Bowman (‘25) said the senior gathering was a great opportunity to enjoy fellow OHSers’ company before the Pixel Festival – and high school years – ended.