Seniors at Naperville North High School were greeted with a loud welcome on Thursday for their last first day in Naperville School District 203.
Seniors welcomed with sunrise breakfast and clap-in
“This is our first day tradition,” said Principal Jay Wachtel. “We kind of do a senior sunrise, and then we call [it] a senior clap-in. And so we like to treat our seniors like entering with pride, and then at the end of the year we exit with pride. And so they will parade in, get led by the drumline staff and students, the underclassmen will come out into the halls and give them a big welcome clap-in as they parade the building for the first day.”
But first, they were treated to a breakfast by students’ parents on the football field.
Reflecting on starting senior year
“Thankfully our parents decided to make us breakfast because I’m sure more people than me were kind of rushing, you know, first day back,” said senior Sophia Mankruse. “And then everybody just comes and kind of appreciates us, and they clap for us as we walk, and it’s just really nice. Just to know that like it’s my turn to do that clapout because I got to do that last year is just like so unreal.”
“Last year when I was watching my senior friends graduate, I was very jealous,” said senior Breyland Partee. “I was like, ‘Dude, I want some donuts!’ So I’m just very excited because we’re kind of the top dogs of this school, and we’re able to lead by example and show the [underclassmen] what being a Husky is all about.”
Back to class in District 203
Wachtel said he was eager to welcome students back to school.
“Each year is exciting, and the summers, it gets kind of boring around here. And so when they come back, it brings a lot of energy, and we’re excited for the year to come,” he said.
“We always like to say we want our students to all feel like they belong, and while we have a lot of traditions and awesome things… we want every senior class to make their senior year their own and really put their mark on it,” Wachtel continued.
Though the clapping eventually faded, the memory of their last first day will stay.
“I am so thankful for Naperville North for giving us this opportunity and celebrating us seniors, which is not an experience that a lot of seniors get. So I’m just very, very thankful,” Partee said.
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