Class tradition brings seniors together

Seniors gather at stadium

Seniors+Nadia+Mburu%2C+Lily+Simonett%2C+Anna+Haen+and+Mason+Boesche+talk+during+senior+sunrise.+Seniors+gathered+at+stadium%2C+Sept.+10.

Michael Hoikka

Seniors Nadia Mburu, Lily Simonett, Anna Haen and Mason Boesche talk during senior sunrise. Seniors gathered at stadium, Sept. 10.

Oliver Smith and Crystal Diaz

Early morning as seniors gathered at the stadium, senior and Student Council member Grace Fahey said the senior sunrise added another component to the return to normalcy for students, especially for seniors.

Hoping to have a normal school year, senior and student council member Grace Fahey said the gathering brought a sense of normalcy to the start of the year.

“It was a lot of fun,” Fahey said. “I think it’s important to stick to these traditions, because this year shouldn’t feel any different, and it’s really fun to get your whole class together.”

Park’s seniors gathered to watch the sun rise in the early hours of Sept. 10 on the stadium turf. The event formally began at 6:30 a.m. and went until the start of the school day.

I felt so cool finally being able to be the oldest and to do all these things that I’ve watched people do for like the past three years and it felt kind of surreal to be that person doing it.

— Katrina Nevinski

According to Nevinski, there were no requirements for wearing a mask or social distance because there was a small number of people in attendance.

“We were outside so we didn’t have to and because it was a smaller group of people and not the whole school there’s less caution around it,” Nevinski said.

Although the tradition is typically held in the school parking lot, Fahey said she preferred being on the turf.

“It’s safer in my opinion, and you’re literally on school grounds,” Fahey said. “The turf felt appropriate.”

According to Nevinski, events like these will help bring the class together and are a good way to spend the last year at the high school.

“I think it really unites the senior class,” Nevinski said. “This is our last year and it feels like something that we should do.”

Nevinski said she is excited to be participating in these traditions that she has been waiting to take part in since being a freshman.

“I felt so cool finally being able to be the oldest and to do all these things that I’ve watched people do for like the past three years and it felt kind of surreal to be that person doing it. It was a really cool experience,” Nevinski said.

Fahey said the seniors’ achievements warrant rewards in the form of these events.

“We earned it,” Fahey said. “After going to school for 13 years we definitely deserve fun activities to do and I think that when you’re a freshman you look forward to that.”