Last week, the Class of 2017 attended their final classes of their high school career. Finally reaching the home stretch, their week-long sendoff was filled with fun and memorable activities to help them reflect on approaching the end of their four years at Old Rochester Regional.
The beginning of the end kicked off with the annual tasks associated with finalizing the graduation requirements for the seniors. Among these was the ritual cleaning of their lockers, as well as returning any textbooks or library books checked out in their names.
These mandatory tasks weren’t the main focus of most students however, as their final classes balanced between finishing and presenting end-of-the-year projects with celebrating the impending graduation with their fellow peers. Students of all grades enrolled in French classes took a field trip to visit the Museum of Fine Arts and take advantage of a summer-esque day in Boston, while the AP Biology courses delved deeper into their subject by embarking on a nature hike that allowed them to observe the organisms they had been learning about all year.
In addition, the AP Environmental Science class aided the Mattapoisett Land Trust at one of their properties with pruning blueberry bushes and participating in a beekeeping presentation.
The seniors also left early on Friday in order to attend their class picnic, where yearbooks were passed out allowing students to leave lasting notes for their classmates. After having an exclusive senior class breakfast the week before, this provided one last time for the whole group to relax and enjoy each other’s company before finals, prom, and graduation.
The graduating students weren’t the main stars on Friday, however, as the junior class semi-formal dance lasted throughout the night. Junior students escorted their dates to the school for an event filled with dancing, entertainment, and a good time with friends.
“The music and lighting was really cool and they tried really hard to make it all fit with the 1920s theme without it being obnoxious,” junior Alice Bednarczyk said.
“The decorations in the courtyard and cafeteria were very well done,” junior Elise Parker agreed.
The after party held more of the varied events as the attending students stayed up into the early morning hours enjoying the various games and events that were set up for them all to enjoy.
“There was dancing, there was a magician and hypnotist, and an abundance of food,” junior Maxine Kellum said with a laugh. “There was an obstacle course with a bouncy house and a jousting ring, and we played Mario Kart that was set up with a projector.”
All in all, the packed week gave many opportunities for both the leaving class and the remaining students to become closer with their peers and celebrate the nearing end of another school year.
By Jo Caynon