The signs are everywhere. Over the drinking fountains, on lockers, and in classrooms, the countdown has continued all year. With only 70 days left until Bergman’s Birthday Bash, students are getting excited about one of the year’s biggest events. “I have no idea what that is,” sophomore Gladdy Comito said. “Who is Bergman?” senior Jay Jensen asked. “Seriously, who is that kid?” Bergman’s Birthday Bash refers to the highly publicized birthday celebration for junior Jordan Bergman. Each year in high school, Bergman’s classmates have done their part to promote the party. Freshmen year, Dylan McMasters and Matt McGrory printed hundreds of invitations proclaiming: “Everyone’s invited—pizza and pop provided.” Last year, the tradition of making signs to count down the days until Bergman’s May 18 birthday began in September. This year the junior class is going all out in preparation for the big day. Led by the efforts of Ryan Kenyon, countdown updates are posted around the school daily, and a countdown has even been created on MySpace. “Bergman wants everyone to tell a friend to tell a friend to tell a friend.” If you don’t enjoy talking or don’t have any friends, “BBB” t-shirts will be on sale soon to spread the word for the birthday bash. But what is so great about Bergman’s Birthday Bash that causes it to draw in so much attention? “It’s where the party’s at,” junior Ben Feller said. “Plus, it’s Bergman. You’ve got to show up and get him upset.” For junior Peter Heiligenthal, irritating the birthday boy is not the only reason to go to the party. “He’s got the hi-definition TV, plus another TV with the PS3 going,” he said. Those in attendance can also look forward to on-line gaming and intense games of darts. Bergman even has a slot machine in his Iowa State-decorated garage. “The slot machine is reason enough to go to Bergman’s Birthday Bash,” Kenyon said. As luck would have it, May 18 happens to fall on a Friday this year. That means even those that don’t know Bergman can take the time to locate the party at 5211 Schubert. “I’ll just show up and crash it,” Comito said. There will be a few holdouts when it comes to attending the party. Junior Mark Moore, for one, isn’t interested in taking part in the festivities. “I’m not going to go because I don’t want to sit around like a loser playing Resistance Fall of Man all day,” he said. When you are deciding whether to go to Bergman’s Birthday Bash, forget about the provided pizza, pop, and PS3 gaming. The real purpose of BBB is to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of one of Ames High’s most beloved students, Jordan Bergman. “He’s a cutie in a cute little awkward way,” Feller said. If you are planning on coming, the birthday boy has one thing he would like you to know first: “Presents are appreciated.”