Photo Courtesy of Justyce Stockman
In the Hastings Public School district, senior traditions: senior pranks, decorating parking spots, Adopt-a-Senior and class rings are not traditions at all. This affects many seniors who have looked forward to these media traditions since they were still in grade school, whether they discovered them through their siblings or heard about them online. However, out of every senior tradition, decorating graduation caps would provide not only memories, but also a physical keepsake to remind students of their academic journey that is different from other seniors.
Decorating graduation caps was a trend for quite some time. It became popular in the 1960s along with other common traditions. Unfortunately, for this generation’s Hastings High graduates, it has become a less common practice in the Hastings community.
“… Our goal is to honor every graduate in a way that is consistent, respectful, and representative of our entire senior class,” Principal Jeff Linden said.
The school keeps graduation caps undecorated in order to ensure everyone feels included, as not everyone can decorate their cap for different reasons. Some students cannot afford to decorate, while others simply do not have the time. The administration believes leaving them undecorated makes it fair for everyone. Sadly, this means the seniors who want to decorate their caps do not have that option. There is the senior spotlight, which is a slideshow played at graduation, which is meant to show each student’s differences, but even that is not long-lasting and seems to be made mainly for students who have been apart of Hastings High for all four years of high school.
The slideshow is not going to show the seniors’ individuality the way decorating caps would. The questions seniors received for the slideshow were focused on careers and memories from their experience at Hastings High School. The senior spotlight also does not include the small things about each senior themselves: books a student has read, a television show they are obsessed with, a flag or a cross to show their beliefs, or even having some form of the school symbol to show true school spirit. Not allowing seniors to express their individuality takes the light away from the seniors’ accomplishments and makes it more about the day itself.
In order to create a safe and positive day where seniors can still have this tradition, Hastings Senior High School should have a graduation cap decoration day or possibly during a T3. The way this would work is students would have their caps and bring art supplies, and if they are unable to provide art supplies, they could bring cash to pay for supplies, ask a friend, or talk to a staff member who could help them, as they do with the food pantry. They can even collaborate with an art teacher. There would also be guidelines on what is and is not appropriate for the students to put on their caps. Students would first use Canva or pencil out their idea before showing a staff member, who would either approve or disapprove the design. If it is approved, the student can move on to decorating, otherwise they would fix what is needed. Once they have completed their cap, they would show a staff member again to make sure they kept it appropriate. This could be held in the gymnasium or in classrooms on a set date. Using this plan would ensure the caps stay appropriate, and every senior would be included in the tradition. Each senior would have this opportunity to express themself and have a keepsake from one of the most important days of their academic career.
Seniors should be allowed to decorate the caps they pay for. Although Hastings High School has these rules in place to keep the uniformity and consistency, graduation day should be about the students who made it through every hurdle and hard day — students who studied day and night for every test, and even the ones who just walked into class hoping someone had a spare pencil. It should be a day for students to share who they were and who they will be through a long-lasting tradition. The graduating class should be allowed to express themselves the way that they see fit, as long as it does not hurt anyone. One slide in a slideshow for each student does not express who they truly are and who they want to be. If the high school were to host a graduation cap decoration day. Additionally, students would be able to participate in a tradition that would create many memories. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many students, so it should come with more fun memories and a simple souvenir.
