In their last year of secondary education, students get involved in several of the senior traditions at Kennedy. From senior sunrise to prom, each senior class has events throughout the year to celebrate before graduation.
“I feel that many seniors are starting to realize just how fast time has passed,” senior Jacob Bruns said. “Knowing that we will go many different ways after graduation, we increasingly value spending time with one another and senior traditions capitalize on that sentiment, allowing us to make the most of our final year at Kennedy.”
Senior members of the National Honor Society organize an annual senior service project, with the class of 2024 planning to plant trees around Cedar Rapids with the Noelridge Greenhouse.
The National Honor Society is not the only club with events specific to seniors. Sports throughout Kennedy host “senior nights” where the honor graduating athletes and activities like marching band and theater have senior speeches and senior mic checks before final performances.
Group activities like prom and senior sunrise bring the class closer in a different way. As more social events, they allow people within the class to get together and connect on a more personal level, outside of obligations. The community aspect of these traditions has been a big factor in continuing these events.
“The best part of senior traditions in my opinion is that all of the senior class is invited to attend, which brings together so many different kinds of people who share a common excitement of graduation,” senior Lizzy Hawkes said. “It marks the beginning and end of your last year in high school, the end of your high school career that many worked very hard for.”
As we look into the future, these traditions will continue to be an important part of Kennedy’s senior classes.
“I think senior traditions will become more complex and important as time goes on,” Hawkes said. “More people will implement new traditions that honor the diversity of our student body and the sacredness of graduating from high school.”