From things as simple as wearing backpacks representing your favorite kids show to jumping down the stairs in costumes such as ones of nice old ladies, senior traditions are considered by most to be one of the largest contributors to building the culture of LHS.
Backpacks
Arguably the most participated in traditions in the school, the senior backpack tradition is the practice of seniors wearing a backpack representing their favorite character from a tv show or movie they saw before they went to high school. The practice could also be a way someone can be seen as a senior as the backpacks are very distinctive in their designs.
“I just think it’s something to look forward to when you’re younger,” senior Jack Gerbert said.“You’re like looking around and saying ‘I want that teenage mutant ninja turtle backpack.’ It does add to the culture a little bit.”
Although the backpacks used by LHS aren’t exactly the most spacious type of backpack a student could use, the tradition adds a certain amount of extra school spirit to the halls of LHS.
Halloween Costumes
Another classic tradition at libertyville high school for the senior class is to partake in the halloween spirit by dressing up in two specific costumes.
One being the tradition of dressing up as grandmas for the boys of the LHS senior class. The girls of the senior class have the tradition of dressing as the girls from the movie Risky Business.”
Although both of these traditions stand on their own two feet, a tradition the boys of LHS participate in have a certain twist to them. The grandmas, as the boys dress up as,have a practice of pretending to fall down the stairwells throughout the school. This is seen by the students participating in the practice as innocent enough, as the seniors wait until the stairwell is empty so no one would get in their way. The students also make sure not to get themselves injured in the process by slowly falling down the bottom portion of whatever stairwell they happen to be using for the tradition. Although the seniors believe this tradition is safe, the school faculty intervenes. This is because they want to ensure the safety of all LHS students and the flow of the traffic throughout the school.
“I think the pressure makes it more fun,” Gerbert said.“But it is good to have those rules and people because we don’t want anyone to be injured, obviously. So it’s good that those kinds of boundaries are in place.”Even if the prank does have a somewhat negative impact on student traffic, it helps to bring some extra halloween spirit to the students of LHS.
Senior Ditch Day
One tradition that is almost unanimously participated in the year of LHS is the practice known as senior ditch day. Senior ditch day is a day after a big event at LHS where the senior class all have the opportunity to skip a school day, while the other three years of students are still required to attend the school day. This practice could be somewhat problematic as the school system frowns upon voluntary absence to school of any kind. This claim might have some merit to it, but the tradition gives the seniors a well deserved break from the stress of college applications and advanced placement classes. Some seniors also just plan a sick day ahead of time.
“They’re like ‘Oh, I’m gonna be sick two weeks from now,” Gerbert said. “But yeah, I don’t think the school is too strict about it.”
Senior Assassins
One of the most controversial senior traditions at LHS and all around the US is the game known as senior assassins. The general goal of the game is to use toy guns, specifically water guns to track down and shoot or “assassinate” a particular student they have been assigned to. Getting the chance to shoot, or “assassinate” the student that happens to be a person’s target would give a senior a chance to win a jackpot prize. This prize is usually a combined amount of the entry fees paid by the participating seniors. Most schools have prohibited this practice by the senior classes and do not allow the game to be played in any form on school grounds.
“It makes sense not to do it on school grounds or inside the school either, but it was always fun watching my senior teammates run off the bus with water guns,”Gerbert said “I think it’s fun.”
Although these precautions were put in place, many seniors at LHS still participate in the game by using toys such as floaties inside the school grounds to show that they are participating in the game. LHS has given more pressure to senior assassins in modern years, claiming that the tradition is endangering the students and facility at LHS. A claim made by public schools around the country uses the argument that people could confuse people trying to eliminate their targets during the night for actual robbers and confuse the toy water guns for real firearms. Even though the game can be seen as dangerous by some students and faculty members, the tradition is still an undeniably classic and iconic sendoff from senior year to high school students around the globe.
Although some senior traditions may have some controversial aspects to them, such as the traditions of senior assassins across the schools of America or the falling down the stairs by the seniors dressed in old lady costumes on halloween. Some of the traditions practiced in LHS simply add a little flair to school, such as dressing up for halloween and wearing the backpacks of your favorite kids show. They all undeniably bring a little extra culture and environment to the halls of LHS.
