By Ariana Farahani
As the seniors bask in the enjoyment of prom and graduation, juniors are busy with the perils that come along with being an 11th grade student. But juniors have always been given an opportunity for celebration apart from senior festivities. In fact, for the past four years the juniors have embarked on what is called “the junior outing.” This outing gives juniors the opportunity to catch a view of some of the most iconic sights the city has to offer, while setting sail around Manhattan.
Students would have enjoyed dinner and dancing, but this year’s junior outing was canceled due to a lack of student interest. Reasons for the cancellation are diverse, ranging from expensive ticket prices to limited capacity on the boat.
With a $110 price tag per student and only 150 passengers allowed on the boat, a majority of the juniors perceived the outing as something they could not get the most out of.
“The trip is ridiculously expensive, especially considering the recent condition of the economy, and the boat can barely fit half of our grade, making it impossible for the whole junior class to enjoy the experience,” said junior Emily Ruderman. “People may get seasick and besides we already went on a trip similar to this in the eighth grade.”
Furthermore, some students believe that an event should have been formulated that was more feasible and perhaps similar to the Senior Banquet.
Junior Raakkel Sims said, “We should have had a dance in the gym – just as fun but not as pricey.”
Ms. Lislevatn and Mrs. Brennan, who were in charge of the event, commented on this idea by explaining, “Why do the same event twice...if there is a Junior Banquet, what fun will there be for the Senior Banquet? The Senior Banquet is a celebration time for the seniors. At Senior Banquet, they announce the superlatives and celebrate the final months of being a high school student. The Junior Outing was unique; a junior banquet would be redundant. Again, the Junior Outing was designed to be something special for the Juniors of High School West.”
They pose a good explanation, and it seems that both those for and against the Junior Outing have valid reasoning, so where does this leave the junior class? The trip was cancelled due to a lack of people attending, even though the deadline for sign up was extended by two weeks.
This cancellation has left lasting damage to the juniors as they’ve lost a sizable monetary deposit, which can have a negative impact during their senior year, as funds for activities may be insufficient. It appears as though the drama following this event has overshadowed its sole purpose. Because for the juniors, when it really comes down to it, being together and being happy for one special night is all that truly matters. The question of whether or not the junior class has missed out is something to think about.
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