By senior year spring break, a student will have spent about 328 weeks at school, and all of it is wrapped up with celebrations in these last nine weeks. 

Cap and Gown Distribution 

When: April 12, during lunch

Where: The Senior Commons

Before “Senior Season” can officially start, the first step is to pick up caps and gowns. Over spring break, seniors should have received a postcard reminding them of cap and gown distribution, and if they have any remaining balance. Students will also receive any cords or metals. 

“I’m excited to get my cap and gown so I can take cap and gown pictures as part of my senior session,” senior Brooklynn Jones said.  

Rotary Banquet

When: April 21, 6:00 pm

Where: IUS

What to wear: Nice clothes

The Rotary Banquet has been a tradition for 63 years for the top ten percent of scholars at NAHS, Floyd Central, and Christian Academy, which has approximately 95 students, 39 of them being Bulldogs. Students who are eligible will receive notification in the mail. 

“I think if it’s dinner then I’m excited,” Jones said. “I like food.” 

Baccalaureate 

When: May 17, 6:30 pm

Where: Performing Arts Center

What to wear: Gowns, metals, and cords

Baccalaureate is not exclusive to NAHS however the school has been hosting this religious based ceremony for decades. 

“Baccalaureate is another celebration for the senior class,” Bobbitt said. “It has a more religious feel to it but it’s another tradition at many high schools.” 

Senior Recognition Day

When: May 25, during the school day

Where: The gymnasium

What to wear: apparel representing your post-secondary-school plans (i.e. a college t-shirt)

Senior Recognition Day is a tradition at NAHS, where seniors get to show off their post-secondary plans to the rest of the student body, whether it be college, military, or workforce.  

Senior Piper Price plans on attending University of Indianapolis and looks forward to the day.

“It’s cool to see where everyone else is going because I don’t talk to that many people,” Prince said. “I don’t know if I’ll know who all is going [to University of Indianapolis] because our senior class is really big. I personally picked this school because I knew it would be a smaller crew [from New Albany going there], but I think running out in a big group would be really fun.” 

Class Night

When: May 25, 6:00 pm

Where: The gymnasium

What to wear: gowns and any metals/cords

Held annually since at least the 1950s, Class Night is the event where the senior class is celebrated by their families and the community for any monetary and academic accomplishments. The Class of 2021 took home $15.1 million from Class Night, and this year’s senior class is on their way to doing the same, with scholarships currently at $13.5 million. 

“I encourage seniors to be in the gymnasium no later than 5:40,” senior counselor Eddie Bobbitt said. “Seniors can sit with their friends at Class Night, that is a long evening so I recommend seniors eat beforehand because that will be about a three-hour event.” 

In order to beat the previous year’s total, Bobbitt says he recommends not stopping with scholarship applications. 

“Continue to check the scholarship list, apply for everything,” Bobbitt said. “Some of these scholarships have quick turnarounds so how it works is donors will notify me with if they want an essay, if they want an application, how much time they want to allot for it, that’s why seniors need to be checking their emails routinely because there might be a week-week in a half turn around between when I get the announcement to when I have to get it back in.” 

Senior Ryan Betsch is looking forward to the night.

“I hope I get the Horseshoe,” Betsch said. “That would be a cool scholarship to get.” 

“I’m looking forward to it but I’m also kind of dreading it because I know it’s going to be a long night but I also like money,” Jones said. 

Senior Day

When: June  2 from 11 am to 1:30/2 pm

Where: The Football Field

What to wear: Play Clothes

Senior day is a field day for senior students. Kona Ice will be there, there will be music, and games. 

“I’m excited for it because we get to go have fun instead of taking finals,” senior Teodora Slavova said. 

Graduation 

When: June 5, 3:30

Where: The gymnasium

What to wear: Cap and gown

Seniors will have multiple practices before the day, with a final practice following Senior Day Activities. Bobbitt says to arrive much earlier than the starting 3:30 for students to line up correctly. 

“[Graduation] will be a mix of things,” Betsch said. “I think I’ll be happy at graduation but maybe after or before I’ll be pretty sad.”