Seniors participate in end-of-year activities to celebrate their last year
Handling her group’s Senior Ball tickets, Kendall Collins gives all of the guests passes as well as shows the ID photos to class officer Bella Smith. Seniors were required to have one person from their group turn in the permission slips, guest passes and with the money to purchase the tickets to ensure they will be seated together at the ball. Photo by Kayleigh Butler.
Seniors have various activities offered to them to help make their senior year memorable. Some of these activities include the Senior Elimination, Senior Ball, Sober Grad Night, Graduation, and the end of the year SoCal trip. These are all usual traditions for the seniors, but the Senior Elimination is one of the new and entertaining activities on and off campus. With the end of the year approaching on June 1, the Senior Elimination has taken 30 of 60 seniors out of the game. With the help of friends turning against each other, seniors have been lurking around trying to eliminate their target.
“We’ve been planning these events within three people plus the help of our advisors Mrs. Meredith Kane, Mr. Tod Furtado and Ms. Celina Ulloa. [We’re] using different preparation techniques such as bimonthlies, task sheets and more ” Hallie Merin said.
Starting Feb. 27, students were assigned a target. The goal of the game is to spray their target they were assigned to with a water gun to eliminate their victim from the game. Every two weeks, there is a safety item that the seniors can carry around that allows them to be safe from being terminated from the game. The winner of Senior Elimination will get a cash prize of [amount] which is the combination of every participant’s $5 entry fee.
“Senior Elimination was something I wanted to participate in since I saw seniors do this activity on social media. It was super fun but very stressful,” Kiera Bone said.
On May 6, marks the day of the Senior Ball. This is one of the most memorable school events on campus for seniors. It is primarily meant to celebrate their final dance in high school and to reflect back on all four years. Throughout the four years of their time at Whitney High School, they will recommence on friendships, learning, life skills, and leadership.
Although the Senior Elimination activity is fun with the water guns, the Sober Grad Night takes place at Sunsplash June 2 with water slides and tides. Here, students are offered an opportunity to celebrate their graduation in a substance-free environment. Seniors are encouraged to go to Sober Grad Night as the entire park is closed to the public.
One of the largest senior activities of the year is the Southern California trip, which takes place a week after graduation on June 7-9. During the trip, students go to Disneyland and Newport Beach to celebrate. The entire Disney park will be closed to the public, only having it opened for graduates from across the nation. The park will be decorated differently and employees will have put up photo booth opportunities, treats and attire specifically for the graduates.
Sarah Witt said, “With graduation approaching on June 2, we are trying to spend as much time together and continuing to grow our bond as much as we can before we go our separate ways. I love my friends more than anything, and over the past four years of chaos and the unknown, having my friends by my side is so important.”
by KAYLEIGH BUTLER & SAM DAIL
