Sunrise for the Senior Class
- Maggie Lipson
- 43 minutes ago
- 2 min read
By Christopher Samuel ‘26 (Editor-in-Chief)
It was 6 AM on the crisp, slightly foggy morning of September 4 when the Friends’ Central class of 2026 came with blankets and digital cameras out onto the soccer field. There was some dew on the grass, and it was dark: sunrise was to be at 6:31. As we chatted, snapped photos, and looked to the east, the minutes drifted past until the golden light gradually replaced the darkness, and the sun peeked out over the FCC — the day had begun. This was the classic Friends’ Central tradition of Senior Sunrise.
After that, it was time for a classic tradition the world over: breakfast. An assortment of bagels, fruits, drinks, and more was prepared so we’d have the sustenance we needed for our next task: car painting. And so, finishing off a doughnut, or with a drink in one hand and a marker in the other, we made our way out into the parking lot. At first, it was tame. People started out just writing “SENIOR 2026” in big letters on their cars. But from there, it quickly turned to chaos. Markers were passed around; signatures or drawings or jokes were scribbled onto other people’s vehicles; music blasted. There was an infectious air of joy that lasted until it was finally time to pack up the markers, pick up the trash, and get ready for a day of programming. With our cars painted, and the day just getting started, it was finally sinking in that we were seniors.
The senior class spirit-building continued on another cold, windy October morning. After some early programming around yearbook pages and senior projects, it was time for the class of 2026 to leave its mark on the campus. One hundred years ago, Friends Central moved to where it is now in Wynnewood. As the graduating class of this year, we had the opportunity to plant a bur oak that will celebrate and beautify this campus for a hundred years to come. And as we planted the tree, everyone wrote notes to the future that would be part of the tree’s soil, so that it could grow with all of our wishes and support. With that, our arboreal legacy was secured, and all that remained was a grade photo to secure our class’s place among the many that have come before us. Overall, these two activities were great for community-building among seniors and a lot of fun, so a big thanks to our grade dean, Mr. Guides, and everyone else involved in making these events possible!
