By Monica Chen
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The screaming and cheering only got louder as the Senior Class graduates, wearing their caps and gowns, filed into their designated area at the outdoor stadium at this school. The energy was overwhelming. Sophomore Vivian Chen breathed a sigh of relief. The seniors had finally arrived. Meanwhile, her friends and everyone else around her were chatting energetically about the new tradition of Class Day.

“I didn’t even know about Class Day until the SRT before that day,” Chen said. “It didn’t really capture our attention because it doesn’t really relate to us since we were only freshmen back then.”

Assistant Principal Kevin Gallman said, “Class Day is a celebratory day that is used to recognize the accomplishments of the Senior Class as a whole and also to transition the Junior Class to the new Senior Class for next year.”

According to Gallman, last school year was the first time this school held this event, and this year Class Day will be conducted during the last week of school during SRT on May 27. The goal of Class Day is to recognize the outgoing seniors and transition the Junior Class to the Senior Class. During this event, the principal, speaker of the House and student body president each give a speech. The principal announces the department award winners and congratulates the Senior Class for its outstanding achievements and for taking the torch of excellence in academics, athletics and extracurricular activities.

However, Class Day also raises some issues among students, especially the several thousand underclassmen in this school.

“It shouldn’t be mandatory for everyone (to attend Class Day) because some students might want to use SRT to study for their finals on that day,” Chen said. “And it just doesn’t seem like everyone actually listened to the speeches.”

Senior Charles Kaneko said he had other thoughts.

“(Class Day) should be mandatory for everyone because it’s a good time to socialize and to recognize the Senior Class,” Kaneko said.

Gallman said Class Day should be an event that all students should look forward to for their senior year. But Kaneko said he doesn’t feel any different about Class Day, now that he is a senior, than last year, when he had been a junior.

“I don’t think it makes a difference now that I’m a senior because it’s all the same process,” Kaneko said. He also said he had bittersweet feelings of his upcoming graduation. “On one hand, I feel relieved that my high school life is finally over and I get to go to college. But I still feel kind of sad because some of my friends are still in high school and I won’t be able to talk to them as much.”

“I’m actually looking forward to Class Day when I become a senior,” Chen said. “But, until then, I just don’t think this (Class Day) should have to involve the entire school.”