his year’s senior survivor is starting at the end of April, but with the contestants just announced, many have already begun to prepare for the week-long extravaganza. This annual event, known for the mix of competition and district-wide involvement in supporting local charities, has selected the Livingston County Animal Shelter as the recipient of the money raised. Survivors Raleigh Leppek, with team “EPIC Leppek”; Noah Heilig, with team “I Noah Guy”; and the hosts, Adam Kelleher and Colin Putkela, were asked how they will plan for the challenges ahead.
“I went [to the Livingston County Animal Shelter] before I filmed my video… and trying to help them is what’s most important,” Leppek said.
For many survivors, the motivation goes beyond competition, instead centering on the community through fundraising efforts.
Senior Survivor has long been a staple at Howell High School, with one of the most recognizable traditions being the food and goods sold at lunch, which draw consistent support from students and staff alike.
“I really enjoyed buying all of the food at lunch, and I would always support the survivors…My freshman year, my brother actually was one of the senior survivors, which was amazing,” Putkela said.
All of the volunteers have a connection to this event, wanting to provide for the community, but while some wanted a more hands-on approach, others, like Kelleher and Putkela, chose to put their vibrant energy into creating an exciting and engaging week.
“Hey, we’re awesome… and we’re totally just gonna bring a great vibe to senior survivor [and] give it our all. We’re going to be so creative. We’re literally going to do so many new ideas and just make everybody laugh. We’re not just gonna shock the school body. We’re gonna shock the world…and we’re gonna bring more energy than you’ve ever seen in your life,” Kelleher and Putkela said.
Being a junior survivor was a big event in Kelleher’s life, and served as a big inspiration for committing to being a part of senior survivor when he was older.
“I was a junior survivor in fifth grade, and then also in eighth grade, when the first round of eighth grade survivors, I was also there, I raised probably some of the least…[amount] of money out of any Junior survivor in senior survivor history. I raised maybe $100. Somewhere between 90 and 100. But I actually brought an incredible amount of spirit that, honestly, it is valued at much higher, ” Kelleher said.
The excitement that this event brings to the community is immense, providing entertainment, community bonding, and a sense of accomplishment.
“Honestly, I don’t care too much about winning. I just want to get the experience.” Heilig said.
The competition, to survivors like Heilig, is more than coming out on top; it is about team building and making the community a better place. And even though it is early, contestants like Leppek already have a plan for what they are going to do throughout the event.
“Just for now, it’s about raising as much money as you can for the shelters…and then when survivor week comes, then I’ll focus on competition,” Leppek said.
One of the main focuses of senior survivors is the videos, and these participants all collectively hope to bring energy to them.
“I’ve always watched and enjoyed them, even in elementary school when our teachers would play them. Not just because we got some time out of school…I hope to make them more entertaining and [way] more fun and sneak in some good one-liners and stuff,” Leppek said.
Even though being a senior survivor is a big commitment, many survivors still participate in other extracurricular activities. Balancing this event with other things in their life can cause some undue stress.
“The only two things would be schoolwork…and archery, I mean, it’s a little bit of a conflict, but nothing more than practice,” Heilig Said.
Overall, however, they all share one main goal: to help with fundraising and awareness for the Livingston County Animal Shelter.
“First and foremost, it’s most important to raise money for the change. That’s why we’re doing all this,” Leppek said.
