On Thursday, September 30, Northwood seniors met in the main parking lot to paint the senior rock. Painting the rock is a yearly Northwood tradition, but it is usually done secretly by a small group of people. This year, Northwood’s student council senior class decided to make the affair a senior event, complete with burgers, corn hole and music. As school was let out, the seniors got to leave their mark on Northwood by placing a painted handprint on the rock.
A table was set up with green and gold paint, paintbrushes and latex gloves so students could place their handprint on the rock mess-free.
“I thought it was super smart to use gloves,” senior Addie Smith said. “Before I went, I was wondering how we would get the paint off, but I realized that’s what the gloves were for.”
Not only did students put handprints on the rock, but several had the idea to bring blank t-shirts to decorate with an array of green and gold handprints as well.
“I liked the idea of making the hand-print shirts because everybody could draw or paint on it, and it was a nice souvenir of the fun event,” senior Coralee Vickers said.
Seniors Andrew Kimbrel, Ella Hennessey and Mason Erman added some flavor to the event by setting up a portable grill and cooking burgers and hot dogs to hand out to attendees. Many people took advantage of the chance to chow down on some free food, including Assistant Principal Adam Lutterloh.
“I’ve eaten many burgers cooked on a camp stove over the course of my life, and the senior rock tailgate burger certainly wasn’t the worst,” Lutterloh said. “I can say that if Andrew, Mason, etc. made burgers again, I would eat one!”
Besides the painting and burgers, seniors were also able to just hang out and socialize with each other after a long school day.
“The event was a great way to talk to all my classmates I never get to talk to,” senior Ella Aldridge said. “ It was fun seeing so many seniors all together.”
Being in school again after a one-and-a-half year pandemic shut-down has been an adjustment for students and staff, and it is evident that there is a need for school spirit, social connection and positivity now more than ever. School events and activities, even simple affairs, can go a long way in repairing what was lost during remote learning.
“The event this year was great, because for the first time we turned the event into a grill-out in the parking lot,” said Vickers. “I’m really happy with how much the senior grade has come together after COVID, and I think this really exemplified how we are all willing to go that extra step to make up for all the time we lost. Everyone has really gotten into senior events this year, and I think it’s because people have a new appreciation for being able to do these things, after seeing the two grades above us lose the traditions. We all want to reinstate these things, because if we don’t keep these traditions up, there will be no lower grades that remember pre-COVID Northwood that can continue the school spirit and fun!”
