Senior Flight Plan: One Step Closer to Graduation

A new year came with a reminder to seniors that their last year in high school was slipping away between their fingers with the frosty wind. As seniors enjoyed the rest of the year, the Senior Flight Plan date awaited them before graduation day arrived.

On this day, hosted at John A. Ferguson Senior High on January 27th for last names A–L and January 28th for M–Z, students could take care of many graduation requirements, including buying the graduation package with the famous cap and gown. Students could also verify their names for graduation, pay fees from past years using only cash, pay library fees, and verify their GradTrack. Fortunately, making final preparations for the end of high school and graduation was not the only thing seniors could do at the event. Catching up with old and new friends and reflecting on the past years was also part of the night, which started at 5 p.m. and ended at 8 p.m.

“Now heading onto another step toward my final chapter, I feel excited yet nervous about what’s to come as I order my cap and gown. As I was waiting, I saw familiar faces and spoke with them about how close graduation is, how now we are ready to move on toward our final chapters as a Falcon,” commented senior Kristen Almendral with hope. From Kristen’s experience, it was crystal clear that reuniting with old pals and reminiscing could be considered important before graduation. But Kristen was not the only senior who commented on the event.

Senior Agustin Coligon also had a truly unique night at the Senior Flight event. “I’m excited to graduate, and this is part of the process to get there. School at night always has a different atmosphere,” Agustin Coligon commented gleefully.

As the event-filled night began, students were led into the cafeteria at around 5 in the evening, where they could wait in line to begin paying off their past student debts or library fees to the school. After seniors signed in with their names, they were given papers that helped them locate the stations they were required to visit and get signatures.

In the cafeteria, there were different tables, called stations, where students could pay fees and get signatures. After paying the fees and visiting the different stations, students were led into the auditorium, where they were given a number and waited to be called.

By the end of the night, the seniors of John A. Ferguson were nearly ready to graduate and move on from that point in their lives, but not without shedding some tears and saying farewells. “Waiting in line with friends, surrounded by so many faces, now officially buying my cap and gown made me realize how far I’ve come,” said Melany Fortuna after attending the bittersweet event.

In the end, not only was this event necessary for graduation, but it also helped seniors begin to move on socially from high school as they reminisced with old and new friends about the impact school had had on them. But for that night, instead of worrying about the future and getting sad over it, students could live in the moment and enjoy the last couple of months before the end, or, for a more accurate word, the beginning.