On Wednesday, October 7 Granada Hills Charter (GHC) seniors arrived at school early in the morning to attend the annual Senior Sunrise. Gates opened at 6:00 a.m. and seniors made their way to the John Elway Stadium to claim their spots on the turf. Students laid out blankets and snacks and pulled out their cameras, preparing for the entire sunrise experience.
Seniors shortly began taking photos with their friend groups, club officers, childhood friends, and sports teams while the sun rose behind them.
“Waking up at 5:00 a.m. was a pain because I slept at 2:00 a.m., but it was honestly worth it,” senior Kyler Hemupatham said. “I think Senior Sunrise was really relaxing, especially when the sun still hadn’t fully risen and we were all just taking pictures of the process.”
Throughout the event, the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) offered free pancakes and hot chocolate. There was also jean painting, and the parachute game, where students stood in a circle and lifted a rainbow cloth to sit underneath, referring back to childhood memories. Bearies Açaí was also offered for purchase.
“The parachute game brought our friend group back to our elementary school days,” senior Sammi Cho said. “Especially having people in my friend group I went to elementary school with, made the experience all the more nostalgic and special.”
At 8:30 a.m., seniors were called to the track to prepare for the panorama photo. Staff had to organize over 1,100 seniors into single file lines, directing them to the bleachers. Seniors were individually seated and photographed after over an hour of preparation.
“Taking the panorama picture took so long and it was very hot under the beating sun, but it wasn’t that bad because I was sitting next to my friend who reminded me that maybe the real Senior Sunrise was the friends we made along the way” senior Ara Matossian said.
Afterwards, seniors headed to the large gym for a seminar led by Keith Hawkins, a motivational speaker who uses his tough background to positively influence students. Hawkins began with interactive games, like a rock, paper, scissors tournament.
“Mr. Hawkins gave us a phrase that I really liked, which was Q-TIP,” senior Jacob Montiel said. “Quit taking it personally. Meaning not everything people say is meant to be personal to you. I agree with that because everything people do may seem targeted to you, but at the end of the day, it’s not that deep.”
As the seminar progressed, the tone shifted. Hawkins discussed several topics such as surrounding yourself with those who support you and also governing yourself. He used games throughout such as Simon Says to emphasize the point that your actions have more effect on others than your words.
One of the main stories, specifically aimed towards the male audience, was the abuse and sexual assault he experienced and struggled with at a young age. He explained that he shared this traumatic event with his mother who responded with, “When did you become so sensitive?” In telling this story, Hawkins encouraged men that disclosing any wrongdoings against them does not make them weak.
Overall, Hawkins’ words were meant to provide a platform for students to relate to, prepare seniors for the world they’ll soon be entering, and assess how they would like to conduct their lives as they enter adulthood.
The seminar ended around 11:45 a.m. at which time seniors were dismissed to retrieve their items from the field and exit the campus. Students in grades 9-11 were dismissed from PSAT testing at 12:30 p.m.
