When I was a freshman in the music program, I was told that seeing the seniors leave was going to be progressively difficult as each year passed. This couldn’t be more true (Sorry, underclassman, I don’t mean to be depressing).

In band, we have a farewell concert on the seniors’ last day of school. The seniors select a program comprised of pieces they played as freshmen. During the performance, their parents are welcomed to sit next to their child and witness band from the students’ point of view.

Following the performance, a slideshow is played, which everyone can gain a copy of. It first displays individual photos of everyone in the music program, so everyone can look back on their years in band and remember their fellow, proud music nerds from high school. Then, photos from throughout the year are displayed including pictures from concerts, the annual leadership camp out, trips, and other fun experiences made by the multiple ensembles – including the extracurricular ones like Jazz Band, Pit Orchestra and Pep Band.

Finally, the senior slide show is played, which depicts three photos of each senior in chronological order: a baby/toddler photo, an elementary/middle school photo, and one of them now, as a graduating high school senior. The seniors also receive pink cords. All of this usually leaves everyone in tears.

But, other programs at SDA also have traditions to bid the seniors farewell. Here are some of them:

Speech and Debate: “Each senior makes a speech about their time in speech and debate. Some are heartfelt about how the program changed them. And some people point out each individual in the room and talk about something funny they did or a memory they had with them….We do the speeches at the end of the semester on the last day and have a big potluck, and make the speeches in front of the entire team at the team banquet.” — Anna Lonsway, junior

Track: “In track, to say goodbye to the seniors, we have a banquet where each coach talks about the year and focuses on the seniors and how they have gotten to know them throughout the season (or seasons)….the [senior] distance runners will run the track ironman. This is when in their last meet, they race the 800m, 1600m, 3200m, and 4×4 relay. We will miss our seniors a lot next year.” –Ashlyn Gray, junior

National Honors Society: “During the NHS meeting, the officers called each of the cord recipients up to receive their cord….the officers were creative and wrote a ‘most likely to…’ quote for each of the seniors. (Mine was ‘most likely to wear a totoro onesie to graduation.’)” –Natalia Pinpin, senior

Creative Writing: “At the end of the year, we have a group circle where we give compliments to other people as a way to say goodbye and how meaningful they are to us.” –Naomi Ortiz, junior

AVID: “Every year, the underclassmen organize a banquet for the seniors where we have food and a senior slide show where we put photos, videos, and memories with the seniors….They each get…a few seconds of the slide show. We also give them…an award and their cords. Also, if they get above a 3.0 gpa, they get a medal.” –Magdely Benitez, junior

Comedy Sportz: “The final game of the year is the senior game where we have all of our graduating seniors play one final game. It’s usually really silly, fun and light spirited. And, at the end of the game…we appoint the new Comedy Sportz leaders for the [next] year. We do honor cords. And, those honor cords…are jump ropes. The graduating seniors that were leaders get special jump ropes that are painted gold.” –junior Dashiell Gregory

Best of luck, seniors! You will be missed!