Yesterday, Whitman said goodbye to the class of 2016, but today the school said hello to the class of 2017. To show excitement and spirit for the upcoming year, rising seniors came to school decked out in any and all Whitman apparel; everything was blue and white. Students also circulated the halls with face paint in the morning to top it all off.
“This day is meant to be a fun, spirited way to kick off our senior year,” junior Rachel Hazen said. “It’s our first official day as seniors, being the day after graduation, and we thought it would be a really good way to boost morale and bring our class together.”
The idea, organized by multiple members of both Leadership and Whitmaniacs, was kept a secret from the underclassmen in the hopes of surprising them with seemingly spontaneous spirit. Juniors posted reminders and communicated through a Facebook group, to keep the whole class updated with the day’s details.
“We decided to keep it a surprise so that the other grades wouldn’t know what was going on and they would be shocked to see our entire grade show up with face paint and Whitman gear,” SGA president Ari Gutman said.
During lunch, leadership and the Whitmaniacs came together to set up festivities in the courtyard for the rising senior class. During a slow week, this is just what the juniors needed in order to get psyched for their senior year.
“During 5th and 6th lunch in the courtyard, we are going to be selling pizza and doing giveaways for Chipotle gift cards,” junior Keara Sullivan said. “We’re also going to have a big photobooth backdrop for people to take pictures in front of. There’s going to be music and everyone is going to chalk stuff around the courtyard about our grade.”
The event received positive responses from incoming seniors and allowed them to show their school pride.
“We unite as a class and just have fun together,” junior Niko Granados said. “It doesn’t matter who we’re friends with. We all just come together and have a laugh.”
This day was just the beginning of a great year ahead as the “top dogs” of the school.
“We run this place now,” Gutman said.
