Every year, the last month of school for seniors is notorious for being an emotional time with a packed schedule and ever-changing dates. This year was no different. Students across all grades, but especially seniors, were tasked with an array of events, conferences and meetings to go to. While it adds to the pressure of graduating, these opportunities give students a chance to be honored and recognized for their hard work over the last four years.
The first major event that seniors took on was their senior projects. Each senior was divided into categories A and B, both consisting of different requirements for their graduation projects. Students were tasked with job shadows, community service and an array of different tasks. Seniors headed to the high school on April 27 to complete the graduation projects, which were graded by a group of three to four teachers, based on professionalism and content.
“[Senior projects] really weren’t that bad. I really liked the teachers that I had and got to show them my work. Also, I got to talk about baseball to Mr. [Cole] Eged,” Boden Hilliard (12) said.
After senior projects, students in physics classes attended the First Inaugural Idealized Science Institute Science Conference hosted at Pennsylvania State University, Beaver. Orchestrated by Dr. Brian Wargo, students from North Hills, Freedom, South Side and Montour got to show off their long-term projects on different topics. Following this, students were awarded with scholarships and opportunities to network with alumni and other students.
Two days after the science conference, students prepared for the Grand March and Prom. This year, it was once again held at Shadow Lakes Country Club, with a poker-and-gambling theme. Students dressed in formal attire to attend the event, where there was music, caricatures, balloon animals and erasable airbrush tattoos.
The week after prom, the Pennsylvania Keystone exams took place from Monday, May 11, to Thursday, May 14. The following Friday, May 15, seniors attended the senior sunset, an event organized by senior class officers that gives all the seniors time to spend together and enjoy the sunset. Students got the chance to play games, take pictures at the photobooth and eat food catered by the class officers.
“Getting to play soccer at senior sunset was fun, but I just liked that everyone was talking to each other and having fun,” Farisa Roberts (12) said.
Seniors enrolled at BCCTC attended their graduation ceremony, receiving certificates and proof of completion for their classes. Shortly after that, the baccalaureate was held in the high school auditorium, offering students a religious and faith-based ceremony before graduation. The day after that, the Academic Excellence Ceremony was held, at which students across all grades were presented with awards and scholarships for their work throughout the year. Two days later, on May 29, the seniors had their official last day of school.
The following events, such as the top ten dinner, circle of scholars, graduation walk and the graduation ceremony all occurred on earlier days of June. These officially served as the last school-related events the seniors had at the high school.
While the last month of school holds more events, they all serve a purpose bigger than themselves. It’s meant to honor and recognize the hard work students across all grade levels put into the school year, and while it may be the end of high school for seniors, it serves as a beacon of what is to come for the underclassmen.