Staff Editorial – October 2012

Video Credits :
Producer: Mike Melikyan
Camera & Editor : Artur Didorenko

After 11 years of attending school, the arrival of senior year is very exciting to most students…until they see the price they must pay.

Every year the prices seem to be fair and manageable, but this year the senior dues have increased by at least 25 percent. Prices start from $125 and go up to $145 for later payments. Senior dues have always included items that are not exactly necessary, such as a second tassel or senior breakfast.

It is a tradition to partake in some of these treats and events, but some of us have trouble affording it. Parents could be left with an empty wallet by the end of senior year and seniors are going to be too overwhelmed with college applications, senior projects, and homework to get a job to help pay off their dues without endangering their grades.

As far as fundraising goes, this new plan is terrible. The plan is to sell from a catalog instead of the usual two boxes of chocolate. This is largely due to restrictions by the district regarding selling unhealthy food on campus.

To make that goal of 20 sales, about $7 apiece, you are going to need a lot of friends who owe you a favor. Although selling chocolates did not promote healthy eating, it was a more efficient concept than selling off of a catalog. To top it off, seniors still do not have any idea what they would be selling from the catalog.

That will be a big problem this year because there are fewer options in terms of who to sell the stuff to. Adults often do not trust teenagers with their money and do not enjoy waiting a week or so for their items and students are unlikely to carry around more than $1 or $2 that they would be willing to part with.

The only way out of the senior sales is to pay a fee of $70 as if the senior dues were not enough already. Not all seniors are going to be as successful as others at this fund raising activity and for that they get another fee slapped onto their list of troubles.

Maybe if seniors were allowed to fund raise on their own without the catalogs at school they would be able to pay off their fundraising requirements themselves instead of making their parents pay for it.

Perhaps the school should sell the very basic necessities of graduation individually instead of choosing from packages that include unnecessary items. The A La Carte price guide the seniors were provided with already do nothing to shave down the minimum cost of $125 and should include that kind of selection.

If the school or the district are unable to put a cap on the rising costs of graduation, upcoming seniors will definitely have to smash their piggy banks if they want to walk the stage.

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