The "High School Squares" has come a LONG WAY since the beginning...

I have always been interested in game shows all of my life, even when I was a child. My mother has these stories about how my whole ambition to read was so that I COULD play the game shows on television! Apparently I was pretty good at Jeopardy! when I was younger; especially in the Spanish Words category.. Why Spanish? Sesame Street of course!

During grade school, I would always convince my teachers to let me put together some kind of game show to play with the entire class. They were always supportive, and let me do it. I would do stuff like Definition and Family Feud, and even the famous Wheel of Fortune on the odd occasion. That was a lot of fun for me, and I think the others enjoyed it. If not for the enjoyment of playing the game, at least for the fact I bought some time out of the school books..

Once I got up to High School, I decided that I just HAD TO do one. The bigger question was WHICH ONE...

It had to be a game that would involve alot of people, and be fun not only for the contestants, but for the members of the audience as well. I went through a list of shows I knew, then while being in the school auditorium, did some experimentation with piling up the platforms the school used as a stage, and created a possible set for a version of the Hollywood Squares.

After clearing it with the staff and principal, I put together all the different sections of the show myself. Everything from making up the symbol cards for the fronts of the desks, to writing letters, to canvassing for prizes, to finding the trivia, to.. everything else. The things I had to do for the show seemed to end up becoming a "snowball effect", and I got overwhelmed in the ACTUAL amount of work in takes to put a game show together.

Then came showtime. I thought that my "career" as a game show host was over before it began...

The way that the set was set-up, the top level didn't have a "back" to it, so it was important that the people up on that level were extra careful. The height was only about 6' of the floor, but while I was off in the wings, I heard a loud "bang" from the set, and the crowd started cheering.. being the vice-principal in an accident, I could understand the student enthusiasm. Thankfully, it was only the chair which had fell. When reviewing the videotape, he was just getting ready to sit down when the back legs slipped off the back of the platform and fell. Needless to say, it was a "jump-start" to my system for the show.

All in all, I feel my first attempt at a live game show went well. I gave away most of the prizes I had during the show, and had a couple left over which I give away to the people who had helped me set up the show. The other sign that it went well was during the next few days while I was getting lunch, people would keep coming up to me and asking 'when the next show was'...

In 1991, I was driving along, and noticed some builders' scaffolding along side a building they were renovating. The way it was setup, inspired the "new set" for the second show. After calling around to different companies and getting pricing, found I would need to find some money. For that, I turned to the Student Council for a loan, which they were generous in donating.

I talked to various staff members and friends to help generate some ideas for what I could do to spruce up the show. I needed borders for the Squares, name plates, and lights. So, I bought some rolls of corrugated paper and construction paper, and started cutting. The lights came from the local K-Mart store.. Christmas lights. It t'was the season, and the "Price was Right", so I picked up 10 sets (9 for the Squares, along with an extra.) I cut holes in the borders to fit the lights around the Squares, and put the clear lightbulbs through the front while hiding the green wiring behind. As for the name plates, I made some computer graphics on overheads, traced them on the construction paper, and cut them out by hand.

My father was instrumental in the design of a lighting board which could control the 9 different squares separately, but due to an oversight in the plans (as well as a lack of 'time management' on my part), they ended up only being able to ALL be turned on or off all at the same time. But none-the-less, my game show had flashing lights!

When the set was complete, I sat at the back of the auditorium to look at my creation. Quite a difference from the piled up stage parts from the first show! It was a lot of hard work putting the entire show together again [I didn't learn.. : ], but I was happy with how things were going.. so far.

Of course, having changed so much, I was leaving myself wide open for even more mistakes and mishaps to happen. And you can bet they did. I had everything from signs falling down, to people not hearing the questions or answers, to the band playing for too long, to learning "the acceptable time span an audience will stay focused on a show". Hard lessons which proved valuable in the coming years.

I ended up moving across town and away from the original school where I had produced the show. Now came the task of trying to convince a whole new "cast" of people into helping me produce the show again. Fortunately, it wasn't as hard as I had thought it was going to be. The Principal of the new school was very enthusiastic with the entire concept of the show, and was behind me 110%.

But changing schools also needed a change of title for the show. I had previously used the school's name along with "Squares" at the ending, but I had bigger plans for the show (like a tour around the local high schools), so the name needed to become 'universal' so that I wouldn't have to keep re-making the signs and logos every time I wanted to do the show. Hence, since I was doing the show at a High School level, I simply adopted the name "High School Squares".

I decided to try and "learn from my mistakes" of the last show, by finding some sturdier materials as well as better ways of attaching the various pieces of the set together. For this I turned to the shop teacher, who was able to suggest some great ideas. I followed the advice, and can say that I still have pieces from the third show stored safely and in tact!

I also worked at a sign shop during a job placement, and worked out a deal with them to supply the signs for the show! That way, I cut much of my work down, and was able to "grow and expand" on the show.

For the third show (but technically the FIRST show of the "High School Squares"), I was fortunate enough to have met some talented students who ran the lights and sound equipment in the auditorium. They were quite willing to help out, and helped to add that 'next dimension' to the production. Now I had flashing lights not only around the Squares, but around the entire set too! And was able to get music pumped into the audience "on command", and not have to worry about mic cords - since the school had cordless microphones!

The only regret of the third show I have is that I have no video recording of it. (You didn't expect this show to be PROBLEM-FREE, did you?) We were having problems with the video cameras, and as the phrase goes, 'The Show Must Go On'. But on the flip-side, we DID get a GREAT soundtrack of the show! (: ]

Again there was a greatly positive response to the show, from both the staff and the students. Especially when the principal approaches you and says, "So, your coming back to do it again next year, right?"

Year Four. I ask myself the infamous (and deadly) question, "What can I do to make the show even better..."

One of the ideas for this year's show actually came from one of the staff members. Since the original television show was all about celebrities, why not get the staff members to dress up as some famous celebrities? I thought the idea was fantastic, and so did most of the staff who got involved! I was quite impressed at some of the ideas that came out of them!

The Music teachers got dressed up in black suits, hats, and sunglasses, and became.. 'The Blues Brothers' (complete w/ sax & piano).

The Drama teachers got dressed in gold outfits and became.. 'The Golden Girls'

One teacher put on a wig, and just used his real name.. 'Rod Stewart'

Prizes are also an intricate part of every game show, and so I spiced that up as well. I had received quite a few nice prizes like movie passes, gift certificates, and the sort, but also felt we should have a "lighter side" to the show. So, the winners got the real prizes, while each of the losing contestants got things like: a 4-pak of Play-Doh, The Home Version (a kids Tic-Tac-Toe game), etc.

The school had also donated a bunch of T-shirts to give away, so I had to incorporate an "audience game" into the show. Simply put, I would go into the audience, pick someone, and get them to play a question like they would if they were on stage. If they won, they got one of the T-shirts. If wrong, they didn't win anything.

The enthusiasm of the show grew rapidly, and by the third game, at least half of the audience wanted to play! It was a great feeling.

Now, I know what the lingering question on your mind is.. WHAT WENT WRONG THIS TIME?!?!

Nothing drastic actually.. but some tense moments though. First, the discovery that my podium had not been looked after, and that there were no QUESTIONS in it! I had about 8 crew members shuffling through the pile of 100 questions making sure the right ones were in the right places, meanwhile the audience was seated and ready to go!! Second, a slip of the finger "blacked out" the stage for a couple seconds. And finally, the video cameras were working, but we weren't able to get a direct audio feed, so we had to rely on the audio from a camera which was close to the house speakers.

At times it was touch-and-go throughout the show, but in the end, I was pleased with the outcome.

And now we come to the present.. The High School Squares Fifth Anniversary Edition.

I've wanted to do the show for a public audience ever since the beginning, and now was as good of a time as any.

The planning for this year's show started in January. I wanted to make it special; being the fifth show and all. So, I decided to make TWO shows. I would do the normal show for the students during the afternoon, but then for the "anniversary", I would make it special by getting local celebrities to be in an evening production of the show.

As well on top of getting celebrities, all of the planning needed to be "doubled" (due to the addition of another show - which needed to be somewhat different from the afternoon show). That meant double the trivia, double the prizes, and double the work!

Over the years, the Squares has managed to raise close to $4000.00 over the history of the show. Being show number five, I'm hoping to round out that number..

All in all, I'd like to thank EVERYONE who has been a part of the history of the "High School Squares"; there are too many names to mention, and I wouldn't want to accidently leave anyone out. Without all of the time, hard work, commitment and support of my many friends, family, and loved ones, I wouldn't have been doing "what I do" for as long as I have.