Every year at Shadow Ridge, seniors get to celebrate the beginning of senior year with their peers at Senior Sunrise. Extremely self explanatory, Senior Sunrise is when seniors get together in the early hours of the morning to watch the sunrise with their friends and senior class and mark the beginning of their last year of high school.

Starting at 5:30 on August 11th, seniors were offered donuts and a drink to consume while watching the sunrise on the bleachers. The point of senior sunrise is to celebrate the beginning of senior year. For the class of 2024, high school was a very odd experience with their first year of high school done completely virtually. Many didn’t step foot onto Shadow Ridge until their sophomore year. They weren’t able to have a normal first year like having their first homecoming, football game, and spirit weeks. So, Senior Sunrise means a lot for the class to come together at the end of their high school years since they couldn’t be together for the beginning

In addition to the sunrise and donuts, seniors were able to make and wear a crown for the occasion. Shadow gave seniors pre-made crowns but people also got their own crowns and decorated them themselves to show their creativity. Yearbook advisor, Mrs. Mason, says this year’s sunrise was “The best one yet,” due to the class picture on the bleachers being the best its looked and because this year students were let onto the football field to take photos and hangout with their friends.

The Ray DePalma Field was also decorated with many handmade posters made by Student Council. A large rainbow poster that read “Senior Sunrise” was at the top of the bleachers and a Clueless inspired poster was on the side of the bleachers. Both were popular photo opportunities for the seniors.

Senior Sunrise was a very symbolic morning for the seniors. The sunrise symbolizes growth and new beginnings. Or,  as in The Outsiders, a required reading for many of the class of 2024, sunrises represent unity and beauty and goodness in the world.