By Aseal Abdelrahim

     Bright colors and bold designs transformed the ordinary senior parking lot into a showcase of personalities and creativity. Each spot tells a story about a student, highlighting their interests and their time at school. 

     This senior painting parking spot tradition allows students to express themselves before ultimately leaving high school. Seniors spend their time buying paint and coming up with unique designs that represent who they are. Most importantly, they bring their design to life.

     At the high school, painting senior parking spots started last year for the seniors of 2025, and will hopefully carry on for a long time. Two seniors, Braden Thomas Jr. and Meghan Covel, shared their stories about their parking spots.

     “I came up with my design through a song by Noah Kahan called ‘You’re Gonna Go Far.’ This song means a lot to me, and when I saw this design, I knew I needed to do it,” Covel said. 

She reflected on her experience painting the spot, sharing what the ups and downs of the process were.

     “The most challenging part was finding time to do it because it is more work than it looks to be. I’m very lucky I had many friends and family to come help me,” Covel said. 

The significance of this tradition goes deeper than just decorating a parking spot.

     “I think this tradition matters because it shows part of you, and it is a great way to leave your mark at the high school. It is also a great bonding experience and being able to do it with your friends is such a fun time and memory,” Covel said. 

     Additionally, Senior Braden Thomas Jr. reflected on his design and said he ended up getting his inspiration from Google. While the painting was a fun and light hearted experience, there were also some struggles he faced.

     “The pain from spending so much money on paint,” Thomas said. 

     However, it’s a great experience overall and helps seniors leave a lasting impression at school.

     “It unites us and gives us things to be excited about for our final year,” Thomas said. 

     Lastly, Principal Amanda Murray shared her insights and understanding on the importance of this tradition: “We continue this tradition because it gives our seniors something special to look forward to. We started it last year because it’s a fun, positive tradition that builds excitement, creates memories and adds to the sense of pride in being a Bulldog.”

     Murray said she likes how the spots make seniors feel recognized and celebrated and also how it “encourages creativity and school spirit.”

     Murray also said the spots serve as a “visible reminder of Bulldog pride–when staff and visitors drive through the lot, they see the designs and individuality that represent our senior class.” 

     Murray said her favorite parts about the parking spots are seeing the student’s creativity and personalities coming to life.  

     “Each spot tells a story, and together, they showcase the spirit of the senior class. I also enjoy seeing underclassmen look forward to the tradition, knowing their turn will come,” Murray said.