By Jack Hardman, Staff Writer
It seems like almost yesterday that the class of 2025 came back to in-person school for the first time. Clad in masks, we bravely faced the challenges of our freshman year while experiencing many memorable events like our first high school football game, pep rally, and homecoming. Three homecomings and one prom later the class of 2025 approaches the summer before their senior year. Next year will be the opposite of the freshman experience as we do some of our most beloved activities for the final time.
Rising senior and athlete Cleon Davis is one of many athletes who will be playing their final seasons for the Hawks next year. Cleon is “excited to play my last season with some of my best friends that I have been playing with for the past four years.” Cleon plays football and lacrosse. He plays guard for football and defense for lacrosse. Cleon added that “competing for a regional and state championship in my senior year is really exciting and the fact it’s my final season adds to that excitement and pressure.”
All senior athletes are feeling the pressure of their final season as many step into leadership roles as team captains. Cleon said that “though I probably won’t be a captain on either team I still intend on being a leader. I am going to mentor the younger players.” With ambitions higher than ever many senior athletes are dreaming bigger than ever.
There are those like rising senior Charlie Craig who are looking forward to all the events that are exclusive to seniors. A classic tradition is the senior crab feast which sees all seniors smashing and dipping some crabs. Charlie said, “I enjoy a nice crab so the crab feast is definitely one of my most anticipated events.”
Another tradition that seniors enjoy is the senior sunrise, where students gather very early in the morning to eat, talk, and watch the sunrise. This tradition bonds all the seniors together with an incredible memory. Charlie is looking forward to the senior sunrise as he is “excited to participate in a long-awaited River Hill tradition where I can really bond with my friends and the senior sunrise really does that.”
Arguably the biggest high school tradition is senior prom. Senior prom is the last formal event where students can cut loose and have a lot of fun with their friends before graduation. It is one of the most coveted nights in the high school experience. Rising senior Shrihaan Chaudhary is very excited about senior prom as it “gives me a chance to show off a cool suit and watch while having fun with my friends.” These school-based traditions are some of the many events that seniors have to look forward to.
Another tradition, albeit a controversial one, is the senior prank. In recent years the senior prank has featured hot dogs on sticks all over the lawn, seniors invading teacher parking, and some creative reorganizing of many teachers’ classrooms. Rising senior Dayo Abu is looking forward to the senior prank as it “gives the seniors a chance to organize something that is shocking and funny.” The senior prank is also meant to give teachers and staff a final memory of the graduating class. Dayo added that “it will let us have some fun before we leave and give us a chance to make our teachers laugh.”
With finals upon us, the River Hill Current winding down for the year, and sandy beaches calling, it is really time to accept that senior year is fast approaching. With that being said there is still a lot of fun to be had along the way with football coming up, homecoming, and pep rallies as soon as we return from break. So enjoy the summer, good luck with college essays, and see you all in the fall for the final ride of the class of 2025.