With eagerness and anticipation, some spirited seniors woke up early to gather at Rat Beach to witness and celebrate the symbolic beginning of their senior year at the annual senior sunrise event. Alongside a mixture of excitement, nostalgia and a touch of bittersweetness, the students arrived on the scene well before dawn, armed with blankets, cameras and contagious energy.
The event, organized by the Senior Class Cabinet, Tess Clendenin, Kai O’Brien and Isaiah Quevedo, aims to celebrate the mark of the seniors’ first week of school.
Senior Class President Tess Clendenin says she is enthusiastic about planning future senior events and was excited that a little over 100 students showed up to senior sunrise, as she only anticipated around sixty students. Instead of planning the annual sunrise event in the spring, Clendenin took the initiative to plan the event close to the beginning of the year to help “bond” and celebrate the start of senior year early on.
“I tried to reach out to as many people as possible through our Instagram (@ruhsco2024) and get people involved. I try to have games or activities at these events that involve everyone, no matter who you’re friends with,” Clendenin said.
Clendenin brought complimentary donuts, Starbucks coffee and orange juice to treat the seniors. She also coordinated a fundraiser with the restaurant Good Stuff (Redondo location), in which a portion of the money would go back into planning more senior events.
“It’s difficult to represent such a large class, but I think our first event had a super big turnout, and hopefully it will keep getting better,” Clendenin said.
Senior Cole Barnes states that he is excited for all of the senior events and was glad to see fellow classmates, as it carried a sense of “camaraderie and community.” Barnes echoes what many seniors feel and makes efforts to attend his last high school events.
“It’s my last year of high school, and I want to try and get the full senior experience, so making memories is important to me,” Barnes said.
While senior sunrise may seem like a simple tradition, it holds a deep significance for many seniors who want to make the most of their final year and create lasting memories with friends who have become an integral part of their lives.
Senior Ruby Forshey states that she is feeling “bittersweet” about senior year and thought senior sunrise was a great way to bond with everyone and see her friends that she didn’t see over the summer. In addition, Forshey and her friend group customized sweatshirts and wore them as a group to senior sunrise.
“We thought it would be fun because we saw it on Pinterest and Tik Tok and it was something fun our friend group could do,” Forshey said.
Excited to finish her ASB career planning senior events for her class, Clendenin looks forward to what the year has to offer and cannot wait to make the year memorable.
“I am looking forward to all the senior events and can’t wait to plan senior sunset,” Clendenin said.
