As the end of the school year fast approaches, Marcus Whitman students are growing increasingly eager for summer. For the seniors, however, the end of the year means even more. It means the end of an era; the end of a 13-year-long chapter of their lives. Luckily, there is a multitude of graduation-related activities that provide an opportunity for seniors to celebrate this bittersweet time.

First, Senior Banquet is scheduled to take place on June 7^th. This evening, all seniors and their families will be welcome to attend a catered meal in the High School gym. Following dinner, everyone will migrate into the auditorium for an award ceremony from 7 to 9 pm. Seniors will also receive their yearbooks at this time, and may be able to enjoy a video of photos dating back to when we were kindergarteners and through the present. This social gathering, hopefully, will be quite sentimental. "It’s the beginning of the real hardcore realization; if it hasn’t hit them yet that they’re graduating, this is certainly when it will. It can cause mixed feelings," says Senior Class Advisor Lynn Gochenaur.

Next comes the Baccalaureate, "a religious service deigned and created by students for their classmates to recognize and celebrate graduation." Long ago, this ceremony was extremely faith-based, but, over the years, it has become much more nondenominational. Now, it is open to all seniors and their families, and includes songs, poems and other meaningful performances chosen by class members.

On June 21^st, seniors will gather for Graduation Rehearsal in the auditorium. At this time they will receive their caps and gowns, practice the procession and logistics of the ceremony. The next day at 8 pm, the official graduation ceremony will begin. Family and friends will be invited to watch this meaningful moment in every seniors’ life, followed by a reception in the gym.

Lastly, Senior Bash is the big shebang. After the reception, all seniors will ride buses throughout local towns accompanied by multiple fire trucks and police cars, making a ruckus and celebrating their accomplishments. They will end up at the Canandaigua YMCA around 10:30 pm and will spend the night at a huge party just for them. A committee of parents has been planning Bash for months, and they are dedicated to making it a fun, meaningful, celebratory time that the seniors will never forget. In fact, all of these activities are likely to make an everlasting impact on the kids. They will help the seniors remember their favorite parts of high school as each student moves on to the next chapter of his/her life.