The first week of school is already exciting for most students, and the class of 2023 decided to conclude their first week of school in a very unique way. Friday August 12, students gathered together on the field at the Larry McCoy stadium to enjoy Bojangles biscuits and a word of encouragement from senior Mary Kate Green.

The class officers put together this event with the help of school staff and First Baptist Church student ministry. Christina Jones, class president, said the morning only took a day to plan.

“We sat with Ms. Malone for about an hour or two and talked about what we wanted to get out of this event and planned it around that! It was so fun!”

The class officers recruited teachers and FBC student minister Taylor Caulder to serve biscuits and drinks. 

Jones also commented on the meaning of senior sunrise for her, “Senior sunrise to me means, a fresh beginning. We’re rising to this VERY new place in life, and this sunrise is supposed to be a calm way that shows ‘Hey we can do this year, and we can do it with ease while cheering each other on.’”   

Seniors gathered for multiple different reasons. For instance, Braylie Fuller said they went to senior sunrise to “hang out with my friends, since it’s my last year.” Issac Geiger said it was “a great way to kick off senior year with my classmates.” Ava Evans said she felt excited to begin senior year and continued saying that “It was peaceful and gave me lots of positivity.” And finally, Claire Lawrence summed up what most students felt like after the event, “Leaving senior sunrise the only thing I could think about was how our senior year had just started, and how soon enough we’d be walking across that same field one last time. It really put things into perspective and was a very sentimental event for us all.”

Senior students are excited to rise to their final year as a golden eagle. “I am super excited for this school year. I think it will be a year to remember,” Caden Guimarin remarked about his school year. Evans remarked “I have never been more excited for school in my life!” 

Just as they coordinated a sunrise, the senior class officers are also planning a similar event at sunset at the end of their senior year.