More than 160 members of the Class of 2018 gathered at the football field at dawn on October 25 for Senior Sunrise, an annual event held to celebrate the start of the students’ final year of high school.
The students enjoyed delicious baked goods, courtesy of Dragon Parent bakers, along with hot cocoa, whipped cream and coffee, as they watched the sun rise as a class.
“We were thrilled to see so many seniors, as well as teachers and school administrators,” said Student Activities Director Starr Saunders Gray ’98, who helped plan the event with student leaders.
The seniors were in a reflective mood and spoke about their strong connection to O’Dowd and their fellow classmates. “While I am excited about the future, I want to make sure I enjoy my final year at O’Dowd. All of us have grown and gained confidence during the last four years. And, we’re like a big family. I will miss that,” Luke Ditzler ’18 said.
Other students chimed in with similar sentiments. “Senior year can be stressful so it was great to just be with my friends and take in the sunrise,” Ruby Perez ’18 said.
Sam Showalter ’18, who was busy capturing photos of his classmates for the yearbook, said “It’s just nice to have all of the seniors together.”
Volunteering to help serve the seniors was Julie Smith Richardson ’82 whose son Dominic, the youngest of five, is a senior. “I am grateful for the relationships I developed with other students and teachers while I was a student here, and I have watched each of my kids develop similar relationships that have continued well beyond their time at O’Dowd,” she said.
A special thank you to all the parents who donated items and helped set up for this memorable event.
