Seniors Secure the bag

by staffer Lily House

With the countdown to the seniors’ last days of high school, anticipation fills the building. To make their last days memorable, various activities, events and traditions encourage excitement and uplift.

“My favorite senior tradition is my senior nights for band, basketball and tennis,” senior Alyssa Sukup said. “I loved getting to go over all the good stuff that happened at each of them.”

A lasting school tradition, Senior Celebration, will be slightly changing from past years. The event will happen during the school day after the walk at feeder schools, instead of an evening event, and will include a student speaker, a senior slideshow, video tributes, announcements of senior superlatives and a cookout.

Another big way to celebrate seniors this year is through leadership class’ activities planned through its new event 23 Days of Seniors. This event began Monday, April 10, and was promoted through Instagram on the account, @2023opseniors, by a committee of students including seniors Morgane Jastrzemski, Khalil Henderson, Carley Freeman, Sophie DePetre and Caitlyn Grisham.

“I think doing 23 Days of Seniors will help the seniors bond and have something to look forward to during these last couple weeks of school,” leadership member senior

Hafsah Khan said.

The account keeps students updated each week with events, activities, and ways seniors can be involved during their last 23 days of high school. The committee also makes the graphics for the account and puts orders in for the supplies necessary to host activities each day.

Some of the activities include senior dodgeball, popsicles, spirit days, writing notes for teachers, and getting candy from a variety of staff members. For the committee’s overall goal, senior Caityln Grisham said, “I would honestly say just keep up attendance and excitement. We want kids to enjoy their last days of high school and savor the moment.”

In addition, the leadership class recognized individual seniors through this account. Seniors were given the option to have a photo posted of themselves with a brief section including information about what school they plan on attending after graduating, their major/minor, a sport or activity they’ll be involved in, their favorite memory from school, and what they’re excited about for college.

One new tradition started this year is having a faculty member speak during graduation. This was voted on by the senior class and occurred during the senior class meeting in March, as well as by discussion between senior class officer sponsors Megan Pabon and Megan Lacy and administration.

“We felt that a faculty speaker at graduation would be more purposeful because it was based on who the students wanted to hear from,” Lacy said.

For people around the school, graduation is one of the most memorable occasions to experience.

“It’s such a special event with lots of emotions and one of the best nights of the school year,” Lacy said. “Teachers, students and parents don’t get many chances to honor the success of all students at one time and this is the one night we get to.”

In making graduation night possible, seniors had to meet the graduation requirements based on the diploma they aimed for, whether it was for the college career and readiness, Gold Medallion, or the AP Capstone diplomas.

“The hardest one to get was my community service hours just because it takes so much time,” Sukup said.

At the end of it all, through their challenges, celebrations, and accomplishments, seniors have taken with them a collection of memories from their four years in high school that will last a lifetime.