Senior Day

On March 26th, the day before spring break, North's seniors were invited to partake in the district's first-ever Senior Day! A few weeks before the event, students were asked to create pods of 10 households to keep things organized and COVID safe. I say 10 'households' because groups with twins were allowed more than 10. For some, this was the first time they had been in the building since March 2020. Grades 7-11 had a fully remote day, and seniors who chose not to participate were excused from classes.

The day started early, with some students arriving early for group pictures (including my group, who went all out with matching shirts and had my Dad take professional pictures! Included in collage.) First period, students signed in with our vice principals, had their temperature taken and scanned in with their ID's. Small groups were then let inside the lobby to partake in candy guessing games, which were kept COVID safe; students scanned QR Codes, which took them to a form where they guessed how many candies were in each jar. The winners got to take the candy home. The seniors were then given a goodie bag with a T-shirt, lanyard, drawstring bag, and snack. They were also given a one raffle ticket, which was immediately thrown into the drawing pile. For the rest of first period, students relaxed in the cafeteria while waiting for the day's main activities.

In between each period, Mr. Frazer hyped up students and announced raffle winners who received gift cards donated by the parents. He also sang popular songs, including the SpongeBob theme, which many students (and teachers) joined him in singing. The hallways were decked out with streamers, balloons, and handmade posters by VSN underclassmen and club members. Many students caught up with their favorite teachers during free time, saw old friends, and took LOTS of pictures. Because of the COVID pandemic, these pictures will make up a significant amount of our yearbook.

Each pod received a schedule for the day, which followed the regular bell schedule. The activities were as follows:

Gym Activities: Badminton, Cornhole, Kan-Jam, and Spikeball were set up in the gym. Students were given a chance to play with others who were not in their pod.

Breakfast: Donations from parents and teachers made up breakfast, including bagels (premade with butter/ cream cheese) and juice. Students were seated 6 feet apart, just like in an average lunch period. Students could emerge from their pods here as well.

Senior Story: Each group was given a large post-it note and instructed to write down their favorite memories at North. Some used bullets, while others wrote out anecdotes.

Lunch: A generous donation from the Valley Stream Teacher's Association provided seniors with various wraps from Valley Caterers. Drinks, chips, and snacks were provided by parent donations. Students were also asked to fill out a form to be put in a time capsule during this period, which will be returned in 10 years. Some of the questions included info about favorite teachers, goals, and favorite things.

Tik-Tok Challenge: Groups were given one period to create a "pass the phone" challenge video. At the end of the day, all videos were submitted to the Senior grade advisors for judging (winners TBD).

I Scream for Ice Cream! – Lenny's Twistee Freeze truck parked next to the gym, where students were given one coupon for a cone or bar. The beautiful weather was perfect for enjoying the sweet treats. Teachers were also able to grab a bite thanks to a donation by VSN Principal, Ms. Green.

Senior Sign: Every Senior in attendance signed a large banner. For the rest of the period, students hung out in the courtyard, caught up, and took pictures.

Scavenger Hunt: Each group started the period by finding a hidden envelope in the lobby which contained hints for the hunt. Pods were instructed to take pictures on the football field, with George, by our main sign, next to something with school colors, and next to an inspirational quote. They were also asked to create a meme. All pictures were sent to our grade advisors for collection.

At the end of the day, the 30 raffle winners claimed their prizes, and the Seniors helped to clear the halls by ripping down streamers and selecting their favorite posters to take home. After that, we were let out for our spring break! For me, Senior Day was by far one of my favorite days of high school. It felt awesome to be appreciated and to spend quality time with my friends. My favorite part was the ice cream truck and the scavenger hunt. We are so grateful for all the work put in by our school Director of Student Activities Mrs. Italiano, and all teachers, parents, staff, underclassmen, and administration. A very special thank you to our grade advisors Mrs. Oliver and Mrs. Balducci! Thank you for everything you do!