Ypsilanti's East and West Middle School students experienced life on the same team for the first time Friday.

West Middle School hosted “Unity Day,” in which the estimated 550 students who will learn and play under one roof next fall took part in a field day full of games and activities.

Kids from each school were mixed together in 40 teams of 14 and challenged to work together to win relay races, complete a scavenger hunt or share a few a laughs in the “junk in the trunk” competition.

The result? Not bad for former cross-town rivals.

“This is a good thing because we (were) rivals but now we’re united,” A.J. Porter, a sixth-grade West student, said.

East will close its doors permanently at the end of the year as the district tries to cut $6.4 million from its budget, which brought some fears among those in the middle school community that mixing kids from the two schools could cause problems.

Toney Cummer, a physical education teacher at West who taught the first semester at East, is optimistic the transition will go smoothly. He said kids are resilient and, once they are given the opportunity to work together, their preconceived notions will disappear.

“That’s what the overarching theme is here - we want to give the kids the chance to see each other face to face and bring them together in a fun atmosphere,” he said.

Cummer said the district plans to rename the school, change the mascot and find new school colors, so East students don't feel like they're in someone else's building.

“That way, when the East kids come over here, we all will have a new identity,” Cummer said.

But many kids said the students' faces at both schools are already familiar. With the school of choice program, students from different neighborhoods have attended the same elementary, while kids from the same neighborhood have attended different middle schools.

At any rate, many of the students know one another.

“We know most of the people from East - we were raised together,” Porter said. “That’s the best part, getting to see all your East and West friends.”

Chloe Lawrence, a seventh-grade East student, agreed.

“I like that I’ll get to see all my friends next year,” she said.

Lawrence added she had fun getting to see the new building and looks forward to the next school year.

“The people here are really nice, everyone has been welcoming, the teachers are nice - it’s going to be fun,” she said.

Jadah Anderson, an East seventh-grader, was slightly more disappointed about going to West next year, but managed to find a bright spot.

“We’ll be undefeated in sports next year,” the track and basketball player said.

After thinking hard for a moment, she added, “And our test scores will go way up!”

Tom Perkins is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.