Paint Branch’s seniors gathered at Smokey Glen Farm on Thursday, September 10 in order to unite with their fellow seniors and conduct senior business.

After taking eight buses to Rockville, the day began with information regarding various senior activities such as Homecoming, Mr. Paint Branch, Prom, Senior Banquet, and the much-anticipated 2010 graduation in June. Senior Michelle Ferguson says that she "cannot believe that it’s really senior year. Senior Unity Day finally made me realize that this one of the last times that I will be spending with all of my friends at once."

Ferguson’s feelings were echoed by her fellow senior Panthers. Katherine Sharpe was surprised to see not only familiar faces, but also some new ones too. "I don’t recognize so many of these people," she exclaimed, "But I am definitely meeting some new friends, getting reacquainted with old ones, and overall enjoying a break from class." Sharpe, along with several dozen other seniors, spent a good portion of the day on one of Smoky Glen’s volleyball courts. The games were far from organized but lasted throughout the day, nonetheless. Other students opted for mini-golf, horseshoes, soccer, and kickball. Some cranked up the music as students tried out their dance moves, while others took a seat in the shade and caught up with their best friends.

On the other hand, Chibet Bii didn’t find the event to be as fun as it had been made out to be. "It was nice having the day off and hanging out with my friends, but I was expecting better food and more things to do," she added. Javier Vandeyar also felt let down by the day’s events. "I wasn’t expecting it to be more than a free day off of school, but I was disappointed that all we had to do was run around on a farm all day."

While students’ opinions about the day varied, the staff was more than pleased with the lack of problems that occurred during the day. Ms. Dixon’s daily announcement the next morning included gratitude towards all seniors for their excellent behavior, as well as a thank you to the coordinators of the event who helped the day proceed flawlessly. Overall, the annual tradition provided a great start to the class of 2010’s last year as Paint Branch Panthers.