Seniors at Emerson High School have earned their senior privileges throughout their first 5 years here, which are given to them as a reward for their good behavior. 

Senior year at Emerson High School is a very important year for students as they have been waiting forever since they entered high school to have access to these privileges. Open lunch, getting to leave study hall, Bergen Program, internships, parking in the senior lot, and homecoming are all privileges given to seniors.

When students reach senior year, they have the privilege to leave for an hour for lunch. When a senior was asked to give thoughts about open lunches they said:

 “I like it and it is fun because I can get food with my friends because with sports going on I don’t really have time with them after school,” Ghazal Khouri stated.

Seniors also have the ability to leave the study hall whenever they have it. However, other grades don’t have the option to leave, they have to stay in school and do work. A senior was asked if they enjoy this privilege and responded saying:

“I think it is good because it gives me the chance to break up my day and if I forgot something at home it gives me the chance to go get it,”  Joey Sabatella said.

Seniors have a variety of options to help them decide what they want to do after graduation, such as The Bergen Program. The Bergen Program enables seniors to obtain an early college experience by leaving at eleven o’clock and getting a first hand look at what a college class would be like and they are earning college credits at the same time. 

Senior Eric Clouse said, “it is very beneficial because I earn college credits and I get to go in my first year of college with credits.”

Internships are also a great privilege seniors have access to since they can get an outlook on what it is like having a job in the real world. 

Logan Mazzeo was asked about the internship he partakes in and said:, “My internship is with the police station and it is fun because I get to go in cop cars, pull people over and go to all their calls.”  

When asked if his internship is beneficial to his future career, Mazzeo stated, “Yes, because this is what I want to do when I am older so it gives me a look and idea of what it will be like.”

Parking in the senior lot is another privilege seniors have. Last year, as a junior, students that had their license were not allowed to park in the school parking lot so they had to park across the street. Now that seniors have the ability to park near the school it makes it more convenient to get to school on time.

 “It is good because I am ensured everyday that I will have a parking spot and I won’t be parked far away from the school,” Sean Salcedo said.

In addition to the senior parking lot, seniors that partake in any sport have a night dedicated to themselves called homecoming. This is a night where student athletes are appreciated for their outstanding years of hard work and practice. A senior that partakes in football was asked what they think of senior night. 

“I think it is nice because it recognizes that you’re a senior and it’s the last couple games you have,” Danny Gordon said.

Giving seniors these privileges sets them apart from other grades and gives them one last year to have fun and show that they are the oldest in the school. Seniors of the class of 2020 hope to make the most out of their final year at Emerson High School with these privileges.