On Monday, May 6, seniors gathered in the main gym at 8:30 a.m. for their second-to-last senior breakfast. As National Decision Day was on Sunday, May 1, Rock Ridge celebrated the event alongside the mandatory senior meeting. Students and staff wore shirts and sweatshirts representing their future college that they will attend in the fall or other post-graduate plans, such as joining the armed forces or entering the workforce.

Senior Darby Sherwood will be going to community college following graduation. Sherwood said that she specifically enjoyed learning about psychology in high school. “I think my psychology class stood out to me the most, because everyone had very authentic conversations,” Sherwood said.

Students attending Northern Virginia Community College were instructed to wear plain shirts via Remind from Career Center Specialist Mary Barnes and were given NOVA Nighthawks stickers to wear throughout the day. 

After going through the buffet line to pick up their breakfast burritos, granola bars, juice, and candy, seniors gathered in the gym with their peers. As they enjoyed their breakfast,  groups of students were called to get their photos taken with the students planning to attend nearby colleges. Staff judges also analyzed and picked winners for the graduation cap decorating competition.

Around 9 a.m, Principal Duellman began the senior meeting in the gym, reminding seniors of the important upcoming dates, including graduation practice on June 7, senior awards ceremony on June 9, final graduation practice on June 15, and graduation on June 16. During the meeting, the staff judges also announced the winners of the graduation cap decorating contest in three different categories: funniest, most creative, and most powerful message. Samantha Smith’s cap featuring the witty slogan “hotter by one degree” won the funniest cap, Aida Vera Marijani won the most creative with a self portrait silhouette adorned with a crown, and Megan Hayes won the most powerful message with a quote from the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  

The next and final senior breakfast for the class of 2022 will take place on June 15 at 8:30 a.m. before graduation practice.

Gallery • 5 Photos

Megan Hayes

Senior Marina Ashurkoff converses with English teacher Jennifer Beasley by the breakfast table. Ashurkoff will attend the University of William and Mary next year, as appropriately indicated by their t-shirt, and is deciding between majoring in one of their two passions: literature and chemistry. Staff were also encouraged to represent their respective universities and Beasley, a New York native, showed support for her alma mater—Villanova University—with her own t-shirt.