Bianca Escobar joins fellow seniors in setting up camp for the night ahead. photo by Ella Stephens
The senior class began their year with the tradition of camping overnight to welcome the freshmen the next morning on their first day of high school.
Sleeping at school is usually frowned upon (or completely understandable depending on who you ask), but in this case, it was encouraged. On August 18th, the senior class of 2020 camped out on the baseball field under the stars to kick off their last year of high school. They stuck around the following morning to greet the new class of freshmen on their first day.
The “Senior Sleepout” is a tradition that goes back over 30 years at TJ, but it has hardly stayed the same. At first the senior class would sneak onto the school’s soccer field and sleep there overnight, unbeknownst to the staff. Of course, a bunch of teenagers illegally camping out on school property could not last forever. Instead, the event became sponsored by teachers and has had a bit of a rocky history here at the school ever since. The senior sleepout was discontinued and reinstated multiple times, but for now it is here to stay.
The class of 2020’s sleepout echoed that of generation’s past. The seniors packed their sleeping bags, lawn chairs, and plenty of food for the night. Friends gathered in groups and created their own camps while others began playing soccer in the field. As the night went on, a fire was lit and people gathered around cooking smores, and some sat to watch the movie Superbad. It was a time for the seniors to catch up with friends and reminisce about their past as well as look forward to the coming year.
In the morning, the seniors were woken up by cars honking and they began packing up, wishing they had just five more minutes. Fueled with Einstein bagels and coffee, the seniors prepared for their duty: welcoming TJ’s newest Spartans. The seniors were given notes of support and encouragement to hand out to the students and they formed a tunnel to cheer on the freshmen as they came through. The sleepout was for the seniors, but the morning after belonged to the freshmen. This ritual is something all classes go through, and while it may be awkward for the newcomers, parents and teachers see its value. “The best part or most important to me is the next morning, when the seniors welcome the freshmen on their first day of school…” said administrator Jon Poole. Once all the freshmen passed through the crowd, the freshmen enjoyed a welcome speech by principal Mike Christoff and the senior class. Christoff spoke about the Spartan values with help from some senior speakers, who passed on what they had learned from their years of experience. Looking back, those who spoke had been in the position of their listeners just three years ago, but the class has already changed in so many ways since that time. Now they were passing on the torch.“It was an interesting experience to be the seniors…to welcome this new generation,” commented senior Alex Erickson.
The senior sleepout is a celebration for the senior class and it’s a tradition started in the earliest years of Thomas Jefferson and hopefully will continue far into the future. The seniors are given the chance to make their impressions on the freshmen and to begin acting as mentors to the new class. They show off the welcoming and exciting school that they were first presented with three years ago. Traditions like this are what make the Spartan community and culture so rewarding.
