On May 27, for the second year in a row, students here will have the chance to gather in a way that will almost assuredly never happen again. Class Day marks the last time, albeit one of the few times, that this particular student body can come together as a single unit. Cheesy, yes, but a great idea? Absolutely.  And now that the school has had a year to work out all the event’s kinks, students should let go of all cynical skepticism and appreciate the day for what it really is.

For the seniors, Class Day has its obvious sentimental value. The ceremony offers the perfect opportunity for a final farewell outside the classroom, with emotions bolstered by the speeches and senior song. Especially for those seniors who have come all the way up through Carmel Clay Schools, Class Day is the perfect send-off and a satisfying salute to all the memorable years in the school system.

Although an obvious reason to celebrate for seniors, Class Day is sometimes bemoaned by underclassmen who view it as a pointless waste of time. However, if students focus on the event’s true meaning, they can almost certainly find the excitement in it. Class Day is a chance to look forward to what is to come in the future for all Greyhounds who will be returning to the halls of CHS next August. 

The ceremony provides a chance for juniors to take the place of the seniors, and thus allow the passing of the torch and the changing of the ranks. The Class of 2010 will be understandably excited about becoming the school’s top dogs, and the freshmen should be especially pumped about not being freshmen anymore. It offers a chance for underclassmen to reflect on the passing school year, the friendships they’ve made, the things they’ve accomplished and how they’ve left their mark on an unbelievably large student body. That, in turn, should lead all the Hounds who are coming back next fall to hope for the future, and set goals  they hope to accomplish during the year. Finally, it should get everyone eager for the approaching summer, especially if there’s beautiful weather like last May. 

Whether we realize it or not, we have all had the chance to attend one of the largest and most accredited public high schools in the state, and we should embrace the opportunity to enjoy some time outside of class as one massive congregation. For us, public education is no longer the classic Hoosier image of a tiny, rural school with no more than 100 students in each graduating class. As Greyhounds, we should one day look back on Class Day and remember how we packed one of the finest football stadiums in the state with over 4,000 of our classmates and took one final day to celebrate the school year, the seniors, and the coming summer.