Accolade editorial board vote count: 6-5 in favor of the changes made to Senior Sunrise.

“Senior Ditch Day” is an unfortunate tradition that loomed over Sunny Hills High School for many years whenever Senior Sunrise arrived on a Friday in October. 

For those that do not know, Senior Sunrise is an event for the graduating class where students gather with their pajamas at the quad in the morning to watch a movie together through the jumbotron.

Many seniors have used the event as an opportunity to intentionally skip school without any valid reasons to do so and also do not even attend Senior Sunrise.

Fortunately, as an attempt to bring an end to this custom once and for all, ASB made the thoughtful decision to move Senior Sunrise to Thursday Aug. 22, which would give seniors less incentive to “ditch” since they no longer have the advantage to enjoy a “three-day weekend,” thus saving the school from losing Average Daily Attendance money from those who choose to leave campus after the Sunrise event ended.

Additionally, it was changed from the original date, which was October 23rd, because the 24th was an SAT scheduled testing date.

With all this in mind, the ASB adviser Christina Zubko should be praised for working with the administrators and the senior class for getting this change done.

Also, since it is only a few weeks after the first day of school, seniors are able to celebrate their last year of school at a much earlier time than before, which is a great way to start off the year.

Another smart choice is moving back the start time from 4-5 a.m. to 6 in the morning, allowing seniors to vote on the movie that they will watch and incorporating Porto’s baked goods into the breakfast in addition to the traditional burritos. 

In the past, the early start time in October prompted students to bring blankets in the cold morning because since it is fall, the climate was so cold that the potential to catch a cold increased.

While in August when it’s still summer, 6 a.m. is more manageable climate-wise for seniors who choose to show up for this event.

Additionally, allowing seniors to pick the movie gives them a greater sense of connection and involvement to Senior Sunrise, which is an effective method for encouraging attendance.

Though some seniors might feel that Senior Sunrise is happening too early in the year, we hope that they give this change a chance and show up support the Class of 2020.

The Accolade editorial board is made up of the top editors and section editors on staff with the guidance of adviser Tommy Li. If you have a question about the board’s decision or an issue for the board to discuss and write about, please send an email to [email protected].