It was the early morning when the NDB Class of 2026 met up on the school lawn, bundled in hoodies and blankets, holding plates of tater tots and various breakfast items. The air was cold and refreshing with the first signs of the new school year and of the new season. The Notre Dame campus was quiet and peaceful as the seniors waited in the Father Downey Garden for the sun to fully rise and the new school year to officially start. This tradition is called Senior Sunrise and is a very beloved, sentimental and exciting tradition of the seniors at NDB. This event helps them to embrace the new school year and all that is to come.
As the sun emerged in the sky, turning everything a soft and calming orange, the seniors sat in groups, laughing, conversing with the classmates they had not seen over the summer, taking pictures and immersing themselves in the moment. It is more than simply watching the sunrise as a class and spending time together; it is a celebration of the beginning of the Sharks’ last year of high school and appreciating everything that has happened over the years at NDB.
“I think it’s a fun way to kick off the school year,” said class coordinator Kate Mahoney. “Seniors are excited, number one for their senior year, but just to be back together on campus after summer and everything. So it’s a great way to start the year off with a bang, even though it’s so early in the morning. It’s always a fun way to get the class together and start the bonding for their last year.”
For a lot of students, this event in the early morning marks the first time that they will be feeling the full weight of what is to come and the hard work that is in store for the year.
“It felt unreal to watch the sunrise with my class. Coming into freshman year, senior year felt so far away, but high school flew by. It was the first time that I realized and felt like I was a senior,” responded Emma Kistler.
This is a nostalgic event for the seniors as it marks the beginning of their final year of high school, and it helps the students reflect on their experience in these past four years.
The spirit of the Sharks began to rise as the surroundings got brighter. The morning came to a close with decorating everyone’s cars with chalk markers, finishing food, and taking a big group photo. With applications for college, all of the fun senior traditions and graduation all in store for the year, the Senior Sunrise serves as a grounding way to start the year at NDB.
