Senior Chalking Day at SHS

On Wednesday morning September 7 students came together at the Brewster Road entrance of SHS for Senior Chalking, an annual event for the senior class and their first opportunity to show its solidarity and school spirit. The festivities of the day included not only chalking, but also a "gridlock" before homeroom, during which the grade gathered in a hallway to cheer and celebrate. Additionally, each wore his or her senior T-shirt, which, commemorates the year of graduation with a punny slogan; this year's said "OUR BIG EX17." In honor of the fact that this year's senior class will be the school's 100th graduating class, the front of the shirt incorporated a "100" graphic design.

The morning was sunny and bright despite forecasts of rain, and, as seniors arrived at 7am to chalk, excitement was building. Many groups gathered to draw with their friends in pavement squares, but additionally, for the first time as suggested by the student government, the senior class collaborated on a giant design in the middle of the walkway. The class decorated the central pavement square with both the numbers 2017 and the names of all the students who participated in chalking. While in past years, school administrators, teachers, and students have complained about exclusive attitudes, this year, all of the seniors seemed willing to help each other, be it for the collective design in the middle or any other drawing. By the time kids of other grades began to arrive for class, the walkways up to the doors of the high school were covered in brightly colored drawings and slogans created by friends, teams, and clubs. The whole event was fun for everyone involved, and succeeded in getting the grade excited for its last year together in the high school.