Senior activities abound in last weeks of school

Megan Werner, Special to Farhar.net • May 14, 2013

Editor’s note: Morgan Young and Miriam Calixto also contributed to this story.

With less than a month of school left, seniors are preparing for a number of events organized by Student Council including Senior Picnic, Rosecutting, Senior Honors Night, Senior Revue, the Powder Puff game, and the Senior Male Sale.

Rosecutting

Rosecutting, a tradition going back 78 years, will be held on May 28. Seniors will be in a line on the stage with their friends, each holding a rose and part of a long maroon ribbon that stretches down the line.

“It symbolizes that you’re cutting your ties between your friends and your school,” said Katie Cummins, student body historian.

Student activities director and senior class advisor Allison Stamey compared the experience to graduation.

“At graduation you have to sit in alphabetical order,” Stamey said. “But Rosecutting is the time you want to be with your friends.”

Rosecutting will be held in the Arena at 7 p.m. this year, and the cost is $2. Seniors will meet in the practice gyms at 6:15 p.m. and formal attire is expected; ties for the men and dresses for the women are required.

Another tradition of Rosecutting is the passing down of the solid gold key to next year’s Student Body President. This year, Michael Jimenez will be presenting it to Samantha Martinez.

“It basically symbolizes having the key to Lewisville High School,” said Erin Hebert, student body vice president.

Cummins encouraged seniors to attend.

“You only get to do it once in your lifetime,” Cummins said.

Cummins will be working on a slideshow that will contain pictures of seniors. Photos can be submitted via email to [email protected].

“We have three slideshows running,” Stamey said. “Two of the slideshows are the senior portraits that yearbook takes from Prestige and the middle one is the one that Katie puts together with all the photos of groups of seniors.”

Stamey stressed the importance of each year’s senior class attending long-running events like Rosecutting.

“It’s very important we keep this tradition going,” Stamey said.

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Senior Honors Night

Senior Honors Night will be held May 23 in the Arena at 7 p.m. Superintendent Dr. Stephen Waddell will be presenting the Top 10. Perfect attendance, UIL awards and scholarships will also be recognized.

Student body parliamentarian Gunner Luleff said that students will be lined up to receive their recognition, which they will have sent in previously. He added that it’s a chance “to see the best of” LHS.

“You just go up on stage and they have everyone lined up for what they have received,” Luleff said. “It’s a humble brag.”

Senior Revue

The Senior Revue is approaching on Thursday, to be held at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria. Anyone can attend, and the cost is $5.

“Senior Revue is a senior talent show basically,” student body secretary Michaela Gibson said. “It is when all the seniors come together and show off their talent.”

Stamey recalled a particular occasion in the past in which a hearing- and speech-impaired student participated in the event.

“She got up on stage, and it made everybody cry,” Stamey said. “Because she lip-sang. They had the music on, and she mouthed it. It was very emotional because she was so thrilled.”

Powder Puff

The Powder Puff game has been moved to May 30, and it will be held at 7 p.m. in the Goldsmith Stadium. Admission costs $3, and senior and junior girls wishing to participate need to fill out a form and pay $15. Stamey said the participant’s fee includes a t-shirt and pizza party.

Now in its 12th year, Stamey said the game began as a contest between the LHS and Marcus girls. The event was successful “but then it became too competitive and too rough.”

“So we both decided to change it to seniors vs. juniors and it has been more controllable,” Stamey said. “It gets heated between the girls on the field, but last year the referees really helped keep them from getting too upset. But they really get into the game, so tensions are high.”

Senior Picnic

Senior Picnic will begin May 31, starting with graduation practice at 8 a.m. in the Arena. Students will need to bring their caps and gowns for a panoramic picture at 9 a.m., which will be sold the next day at lunch for $25 and $35. After graduation practice students will take buses to Circle R Ranch for the day, where various activities will be available and food is provided. The cost per person is $35, and payments aren’t allowed after May 24. Scholarships are available for students who are financially unable to pay for senior picnic.

Luleff elaborated on the event.

“It’s like a senior skip day without getting in trouble,” Luleff said. “It’s a really fun time and you get to spend your last few days of school all together, having fun.”

Stamey expects a positive turnout.

“It is laid back, it is fun, and I have never heard a single complaint,” Stamey said.

Senior Picnic has been held at Circle R Ranch since 2008.

“It ended up being one of the best things we’ve done,” Stamey said.

Male Sale

The Male Sale buying will be May 23, with Male Sale dress-up day on the following day.

Male Sale is a StuCo fundraiser for which senior boys can sign up.

“The Male Sale buying is where the boys go up on stage and they’re kind of auctioned off and the highest bid wins the guy,” Hebert said. “The next day is the dress-up day, and whoever paid the money for him gets to dress him up however they want; paint his nails, put makeup on him, put a wig on him and stuff like that.”

However, all costumes and outfits have to be approved before the senior boys are paraded through the halls.

“We have to approve it because some are breaking school rules,” Stamey said. “For the principals, it’s their worst day of the year ever.”

Luleff, who is eligible for the event, described the experience as “scary.”

“I don’t wanna wear makeup,” Luleff said. “I don’t wanna paint my nails. I really don’t want to do any of it, but, you know what? If it makes the school money, I’ll do it.”

Only senior boys may take part in this fundraising activity and will need to sign a contract pledging to adhere to all the requirements. Girls, boys, and even teachers may buy.

“I know someone last year went for like $200,” Hebert said.

All proceeds from the events go back to pay for other school-related activities and events.

“Our fundraisers and efforts have to go back into school activities so that’s why it’s so important to make some money on this event,” Stamey said. “All the things we do throughout the year we have to pay for, because we don’t get a budget.”

Luleff shared his hope that this year’s seniors and other students would stay involved and attend the school’s activities.

“Don’t let Farmer Pride die, because that’s what keeps our school going,” Luleff said.