National High Five Day » History

National High Five Day 2005 & 2006

admin — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 01:12:31 +0000

Both of these holidays were pretty good too. We started a webpage, started doing interviews on shows all over the country and Greg Harrell-Edge and Richard Hewett slept through a scheduled appearance on San Diego’s Fox Morning News, (Greg was later named the Laziest Man Alive on Jimmy Kimmel Live.) We got good press from College Humor, which we are tremendously thankful for. Greg wrote the articles for CH in 2004 and 2005, partially redeeming himself for the above sleeping incident.

National High Five Day 2004

admin — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 01:11:21 +0000

2k4 marked the first National High Five Day that we conducted in the “Real World.” Though the founders were scattered on separate coasts, the mission of the holiday was strong. 2004 also marked the full explosion of National High Five Day upon the International (US & Canada) Media. Through our numerous scintiliating Radio appearances, and a 1 for 2 record of not sleeping through scheduled television appearances, we were able to spread the word to even more of the masses.

National High Five Day 2003

admin — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 01:10:42 +0000

As Seniors at the University of Virginia, having gathered the attention of their friends, colleagues, and strangers, the founders approached the second annual National High Five day with confidence. They recalled fondly, “National High Five Day [2002] had been an unexpected triumph, one that nobody really thought would work out. For example, remember how you watched the ads for the first Austin Powers movie and were like, ‘Wow, the Wayne’s World guy has really started to hurt for cash to pay his alimony,’ but it ended up making like 500 million dollars? Well that’s what we felt like–instead of getting lavish paychecks and slobbering yes-men, we got a vague sense of smug satisfaction.” The second National High Five Day effort was even more successful than the first, catching the attention of the NBC Charlottesville news and a documentary film-making team, both who caught the spirit of National High Five Day 2003 on tape. View the documentary, made by Mark Ballard and Jenny Mays, here. Read the second consecutive National High Five Day cover story from The Declaration, entitled “Reprise.”

The Day that Started it All

admin — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 01:09:35 +0000

The first National High Five day began in 2002, when inspiration hit a few college students in the early morning hours. With little expectation or indication of what the reaction would be, the University of Virginia undergraduates summoned their courage and their friends to set their ideas into action. They posted fliers, wrote an article for the paper, and devoted a week’s worth of comics to promoting the newfound holiday. Disregarding class attendance in favor of this important cause, they recruited friends, made gallons of lemonade and set up a booth on the university’s central lawn. Waving handmade signs and blasting music in the spirit of the holiday, they attracted the attention and the high fives of students passing by.

Soon they realized just how far their idea had gone. “Professors instructed their students to give a high five before class would begin. Strangers were witnesses on faraway corners of the lawn giving high fives without instruction being shouted or threats being applied. People we were introduced to months later related tales of their own gleeful participation. At one point in the day, a group of about fifty elementary school students walked by us in a line, smiling, laughing, and hugging, all perfectly in time to ‘Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard.’ They gave high fives, leaping up to reach taller members in our group, they showed enthusiasm, and they showed us that what we were doing was something pure.”

Read about the event in the University’s newspaper, The Cavalier Daily, or in the alternative weekly, The Declaration.