As the graduation season gets closer, the seniors at FVHS are getting ready for one of the most meaningful traditions of the year, the senior clap out. The event gives graduating seniors a chance to return to their former elementary school while wearing their caps and gowns. Younger students and teachers line the hallways and clap as the seniors walk through the school one last time.
“I went to this school for four years before I moved away, so it’s nice getting the chance to come back and see it again,” said senior Dakota Walker.
The tradition has become popular in many schools because it celebrates how far students have come. For seniors, it is a chance to revisit the place where their school journey first began. For the elementary students, it is a fun and inspiring moment that helps them imagine their own future graduation day.
Seniors will return to several elementary schools in the area including the following schools: May 28 at Ballentine Elementary and Willow Springs Elementary; June 2 at Holly Grove Elementary; June 3 at West Lake Elementary; June 5 at Fuquay-Varina Elementary and Morrisville Elementary; June 9 at Buckhorn Creek Elementary; June 10 at Holly Ridge, Holly Springs, Herbert Akins Road and Turner Creek Elementaries; and June 25 at Banks Road Elementary. This event is emotional for many seniors because it reminds them how much they must have changed since elementary school. Returning to familiar hallways and seeing former teachers can bring back old memories from their early school years. For teachers, the clap out is also a chance to see how much their former students have grown.
“I think the clap out is a good tradition because it brings back memories,” said Walker.
The clap out is not only a graduation celebration, but also a way to inspire younger students. Elementary students get to see what graduation looks like and think about their future goals. Watching the seniors walk through the halls can encourage them to stay focused and work hard.
“I’m excited to see seniors because they used to go to our school,” said fourth grader Geethash Reddy Mallireddy from Holly Grove Elementary School.
For the graduating seniors, the clap out may only last a short time, but it is often one of the most memorable parts of graduation season. It gives students a chance to look back on where they started before beginning a new chapter after high school.
