The rest of the story is in the Issue 1 Prospector newspaper.
Students gathered in the stands at George Gattas Memorial Stadium to cheer on the Knights in the homecoming game against New Trier High School on September 13, 2024. Students were covered in navy and columbia blue powder, shouting, “LGK!”, “Let’s go Knights!”
With 5:36 left in the first quarter, senior Nicky Carlucci received a pass in the end zone from senior and quarterback Jack Skoog. The score was 6-0, with Prospect in the lead.
The students of Prospect High School erupted in cheer. The Blue Leaders fired off confetti cannons, sprinkling The Underground with columbia blue confetti.
The seniors danced and shouted to soak in their last homecoming game as Knights of Prospect.
A tradition seniors do every Friday is sit in the stands closest to the football field. It’s activities like these that students look forward to their senior year. Other popular senior traditions include senior backpacks, “last first day” photos, senior sunrise, car decorating, senior assassin, senior barbecue and graduation pictures.
Senior year, although exciting, comes quicker for some students than others, such as senior Michael Casaletto.
“It’s surreal because it’s my last year with all the kids I’ve been with … since kindergarten and freshman year,” Casaletto said. “It’s the last hoorah. I feel like [I] need to make the most of it.”
While senior year comes with the added stressors of college applications, senior Sebastian Parks shares a positive mindset that will help him succeed during his last year.
“[My plan is to] finish strong, to make sure I keep up my grades and to focus,” Parks said.
LAST FIRST DAY
On August 14, at 7:50 a.m. in front of the George Gattas Memorial Stadium, about a quarter of the class of 2025 gathered to take pictures and celebrate seniors’ “last first day” of school.
This idea of taking photos allows the class to gather together and show off their new kids backpacks. The seniors did this with their friends to make lasting memories of high school.
When Casaletto was at photos, he enjoyed seeing everyone excited and pumped for their senior year. He believes that there is a more “positive attitude” towards senior year in comparison to junior or sophomore year of high school.
Laba liked seeing all of her best friends for their first day of senior year.
“I thought it was fun, it was cool … it was worth it to just have a memory of that, our last first day,” Laba said.
SENIOR SUNRISE
The first Friday of the school year called for students to wake up early, even before the sun did, in order to attend Senior Sunrise. The event was announced on the Prospect senior’s class of 2025 Instagram page a week before the school year even began.
This event started with the class of 2024 and has potential to become a lasting tradition if rising seniors continue to plan it out. The event must be coordinated with Prospect staff in order to reserve the stadium field that morning, which a group of seniors including Abby Damasky and Maddie Bronder emailed Mirandola about.
Additionally, since a large crowd of seniors was expected, they needed adult supervision. This year Mirandola, science teacher Shelby Rosin, Dean Adam Levinson, and the Mount Prospect Police Department were present to ensure student safety.
Not all seniors woke up early for the occasion; however, Andrzejewska and Laba both attended the event to celebrate their senior year. After the sunrise, Laba went out to breakfast with friends and enjoyed the bonding time they had.
The night before this year’s sunrise, it had rained. While Andrzejewska and Laba would have preferred a prettier sunrise, the event is not just about that aspect, rather giving the seniors another opportunity to make memories.
“[Senior sunrise creates] a fun way for all of the seniors to gather in a very low key manner just to enjoy being around each other,” Mirandola said.
GRADUATION/PICTURES
One of the last senior traditions is when all of the seniors take pictures in front of the building before they graduate. It is one of the traditions that isn’t super public, but that’s what makes it special. All of the seniors and their families park in the circle drive to take pictures in front of the building with friends. Everyone is wearing their caps, gowns, medallions, and the girls are usually in their white dresses.
This is one of Mirandola’s favorite traditions because he loves to see the community together, especially out his office window which faces the circle drive.
“It’s fun to see the excitement and the pure joy and the comradery that is being exhibited at that time. It is one of the hidden ones that most people don’t really get to see, and I love it,” Mirandola said.
Anzalone said that she loves the fact that this tradition is still “alive and well.” Back then, there was no circle drive parking lot, so not many people took pictures by door 6; however, she did take pictures in front of the field house doors (23 and 24) where the wall says “Home of the Knights.”
To read more about senior backpacks, go check out Kaia’s story on her favorites!
