Every year, Spirit Night is one of the biggest events at CEC, bringing together the Blue and White teams for three nights of competition, performances, and school spirit. While the performances and murals take center stage, one group has quietly become an essential part of the tradition behind the scenes: CEC’s Engineering II class.

What began as a simple collaboration has grown into one of the most anticipated elements of the event.

“When I heard about the success our Engineering class was having, I thought it would be a perfect collaboration with Spirit Night,” said moderator Bob Dinan '02. That idea sparked a partnership with Engineering teacher Brian Wurtz '84 that has now spanned five years.

The process begins months in advance. Each fall, Dinan and Wurtz meet to brainstorm ideas that align with the year’s Spirit Night theme. From there, Wurtz and his students bring those ideas to life, working through the full engineering design process from initial sketches to final execution.

“The main goal is for students to learn how to plan, work with others, and manage their time,” Wurtz explained. “They go from concept to hitting deadlines, all while problem-solving along the way.”

The first collaboration in 2022 set the tone. With the theme of “Arcade Games,” students created a pinball-inspired machine using compressed air and lighting effects. At the push of a button, flags representing the winning team would launch into the air in an instant hit.

Since then, each year has brought a new creative challenge. For the 2023 “Toys” theme, students designed a Jack-in-the-Box. During 2024’s “Broadway,” they engineered a working rain effect inspired by Singin’ in the Rain, complete with a glowing light pole that changed colors for each team. For 2025’s “Occupations,” they built a DJ booth with a video display that lit up blue or white with each victory.

This year’s “Fairy Tales” theme may be their most ambitious yet. Students constructed a “Sword in the Stone” inspired display featuring two swords, one blue and one white, which is embedded in a large rock. As results for each category are announced, the winning team’s sword is released, creating a dramatic and symbolic moment for the crowd.

Over time, the Engineering II class has expanded its role. What started as designing a single “winning mechanism” has evolved into creating props for both teams, enhancing the overall Spirit Night experience.

For the students, the project is about more than just building something impressive, it’s about learning to adapt. John Roybal ’26 reflected on the challenges faced throughout the process.

“I learned how to use the resources we have, even when we don’t have everything we need,” he said. “There were times this year when buttons weren’t working, and we had to restart because of electrical issues. It taught us how to troubleshoot and keep going.”

This year’s team consist of ten members; Ben Blaskopf, Antonio Carmona, Nicholas Grosso, Albert Gutherman, Sean McGovern, Brayden McGuckin, John Roybal, Charles Samedi, Phu Hung Tran, and John Velez who all played a key role in bringing the fairy tale vision to life.

Photos above show the team's progress as they built this year's reveal using PVC framing, wood, electrical wiring, spray foam, and metal.

Their work may not always be in the spotlight, but it has become a defining part of Spirit Night. Through creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving, Engineering II continues to shape some of the most memorable moments of the event. In addition to the reveal projects, Engineering students support building and design for various props for both the Blue and White teams as well.

See their work in action this weekend at Spirit Night 2026: Fairy Tales!