By Layla Abukhdeir, Staff Writer
Every spring, as graduation approaches and final exams loom, seniors at River Hill prepare for one final tradition before leaving high school behind: the senior prank.
For many staff members, senior pranks have become memorable snapshots of each graduating class. According to Ms. Sharbaugh, the most unforgettable prank she witnessed happened during her very first year at River Hill.“I had just arrived at school. I turned the corner, and there, standing in front of me, was a chicken.”
The prank, which took place about five years ago, involved students releasing several chickens into the school building early in the morning. Teachers and students alike were shocked as the animals wandered through the halls while students recorded the chaos on their phones.
“Throughout the day, I heard that someone had released four or five chickens from their farm,” Ms. Sharbaugh recalled. “For me, that’s been the absolute best prank since I’ve been here.”
Ms. Lidgard, the principal at the time, allowed the prank as long as the chickens were gone before school started.
Since then, River Hill seniors have continued the tradition in different ways. Last year’s class organized fake weddings between seniors, complete with decorations and student ceremonies during each lunch period, which entertained students and staff alike.
However, not every senior prank at River Hill has been remembered fondly.
A prank a couple of years ago crossed the line when classrooms were heavily vandalized after students were allowed into the building after hours to decorate. According to staff accounts, what began as harmless rearranging escalated into damaged property and destroyed classroom materials.
The incident left many teachers upset and cast a shadow over graduation festivities that year. Since then, both students and administrators have worked to ensure pranks remain safe and respectful.
“I think the best pranks are the ones that are truly original,” Ms. Sharbaugh says. “They’re lighthearted, fun, and there’s no malicious intent. They should leave us with fond memories of the class and how creative and fun they were.”
This year, seniors continued the tradition on their last day of high school, just two days before their graduation. Before students could walk into the building, the class of 2026 greeted everyone with a TSA line.
Students were asked to take out their Chromebooks, student ID’s, and instruments for inspections done by seniors wearing gloves and herding them through the front doors. From there, more seniors used light sabers and fake swords as metal detectors and made many students do the “Head, shoulders, knees, and toes” dance to pass the inspection and be let into the building.
“They asked me to take my shoes off,” says sophomore Divya Gohel. “I was like, ‘there’s no way I’m doing that.’ I mean, I’ll show you my ID and my flute, but I’m not taking my shoes off.”
The prank was light-hearted and enjoyed by many students after the long weekend.
“It was faster than the real TSA,” says sophomore Zena Kishek. “They were really loud and kept telling us to hurry up.”
As the class of 2026 goes off to graduation and begins their lives after high school, their funny and interactive prank will serve as a fond memory for River Hill staff and students to remember them by.