Seniors gathered on the football field Friday morning Aug. 10 to help kick-off senior year with the second annual senior sunrise. Student council and class representatives helped orchestrate the event.

“The event was fun,” Ziomari Sullivan said. “I was supposed to go to bed at 9:30 p.m., but I ended up going to bed at 1:30 a.m. and got up at 2:00 a.m. because I was super excited. The freedom of being out was something special.”

A delayed start to the event was an extra opportunity for students to mingle and prepare for the second annual senior sunrise. 

Senior Israel DeGraw was one of the students waiting for the security officers to open the gates as the event was almost ready to begin. DeGraw wants to make the most of his last year in high school.

“I am excited to finish school, but its a scary feeling knowing, soon, you will have to leave and grow up,” DeGraw said. “I want to focus on my grades, scholarships, talk to recruiters, and go to every school event. I have to take advantage of my time here.”

Wrapped in blankets, taking pictures and videos to post on their social media accounts was the scene throughout the field.

Vanessa Martinez, who is the class president, had to gather all the officers as the junior class representatives failed to show up and help with the balloon portion of the ceremony.

“Not all the seniors got balloons,” Carisa Gonzalez said. “We had about 60 balloons for all the seniors and it was sad because not everyone got a balloon and it was the juniors that were supposed to help us with the balloons.” 

Seniors gathered on the fifty-yard line to finish writing their hopes and dreams on their balloon and let it go toward the sky. 

Despite the limited balloons and cloudy weather, seniors ended the event with chants of “2019!” as administration and staff took one final group picture to conclude senior sunrise.

This is Pebble Hills second year with seniors. Graduation is set for Friday night, at 7:00 p.m. at the Don Haskins’ Center.

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