On Friday, through hugs, tears, and smiles, the Class of 2024 said goodbye to duPont Manual High School with the annual senior walk.
The seniors walked together, starting in the small gym and making their way all around the school. As they walked they received and gave gifts, flowers, and letters to both teachers and underclassmen.
This was not only a time of reflection for the seniors but also for the underclassmen who befriended the seniors.
“Seeing the seniors walk through the hall today was a very bittersweet feeling. These are the people that I’ve looked up to for the past couple years …it also serves as a reminder that soon, some underclassmen will look at me the same way,” Reed Cooley (10, MST) said.
Junior Autumn Harper (11, YPAS) felt emotional to see the people she looked up to leave her behind.
“It’s hard, especially as a junior because it’s like losing your big sister that you’ve been with for three years… it’s hard to see them go,” Harper said.
As for the seniors going away, they leave behind the school that holds the memories of the last four years of their lives.
“It was really bittersweet, I mean I’m not like a super emotional person, but it was really sad,” Anvitha Srineni (12, MST) said.
Sirineni is going to Vanderbilt University and explained that she is “a bit scared but also like excited… looking forward to the next chapter.”
The teachers who have seen the seniors grow also said their last goodbyes.
“I’m happy for them and their futures are bright… but it’s also sad because I know that I won’t see most of them again… there’s that little tug at your heart,” Ms. Margaret Mattingly (J&C) said, when asked how she felt after the senior walk.
The Class of 2024 will graduate this Saturday, May 24 at Freedom Hall at 4 p.m.
