Senior year is often depicted as one of the most anticipated years of high school. Whether it is in movies, on social media, or even in family stories, it is no secret how much hype senior year has. With all the traditions and once-in-a-lifetime moments, senior year is a vital part of the high school experience. However, something often forgotten amid the hectic year is just how costly being a senior has become and how quickly expenses can add up. With each passing year, the things seniors are supposed to enjoy come with a bigger price tag. This raises an important question: should valuable school experiences be inaccessible simply because someone cannot afford them?
On top of school-wide traditions such as homecoming, there are also things like senior portraits, prom, the yearbook, cap and gowns, and senior activity day (which is Disneyland this year). Each of these is set at an amount of upwards of 100 dollars. Cap and gowns, specifically, are a required expense in order to walk out during graduation. All these expenses in just a couple of months can add so much financial strain on the student and their family. With prices increasing each year, it can seem like school culture is more burdensome than enjoyable.
For many seniors, it can feel like an unspoken obligation, from either friends or family, that they have to spend every penny to have a successful senior year. Those who want to participate in these traditions are unable to because of their financial situation, which is incredibly stressful and unfair. It highlights the growing inequality between those who are more fortunate and those who are less fortunate. On a district level, it conflicts with the entire mission of free public education, because spending upwards of a thousand dollars is now the norm for each senior. The gap in spending between freshman through junior year and senior year can easily be seen as problematic.
At Claremont High School, our ASB and Student Union are working to distribute loaner student caps and gowns, which is a great first step. However, a lot of high schools across the country cannot claim that they are taking the same initiative. To combat high spending costs, things like more fundraising or low-cost alternatives can be implemented to prevent student exclusion. Senior year is already incredibly memorable, and it is important to recognize that staying quiet on hidden costs will only make things more expensive in the long run.
