Of a feather, Downys and Redheads flock together!

ARE YOU A DOWNY OR A REDHEAD?

Guessing how many times this question gets asked is an impossible task—but one that reflects just how strongly students and their families identify with one of Peck’s most beloved community traditions.

Initiated in the early 1950s by Taz Brower (Girls Athletic Director 1951-58, and longtime lacrosse coach), the Downy/Redhead competition assigns students to either the Redhead or Downy team— named after two varieties of woodpecker native to Northern NJ, and originally proposed through a student contest.

Coach Don Diebold at field day, 1980s

This is an affiliation that students, their siblings, and their immediate family members, hold for life.

Though the competition’s form has changed over the years, its immeasurable impact on generations of Peck families has not. This is a tradition that epitomizes school spirit while fostering belonging in the greater context of the Peck experience.

Downy/Redhead Field Events, 2019

For the past few years the Downy/Redhead competition has been yearlong, with teams accruing points in myriad ways.

Job Well Done tickets recognize individuals’ excellent effort and Consideration of Others, and students also earn points for their teams through all-school challenges and service projects.

A significant (and, arguably, the favorite) milestone in the tradition is a day set aside for field events and grade-level tug-of-wars. The field day, typically held each spring, brings together Peck families to cheer on the Downys and the Redheads—for friendly competition, camaraderie, and joyful celebration.

Downy-Redhead Tug of War, 1996