Seniors watch the sun set on their final year, celebrate memories

From sunrise to sunset, it took 282 days.

That’s the time it takes seniors at Richmond Senior High School to get through their last year before graduation.

On August 29, 2022, the seniors began their last year in high school, participating in a Senior Sunrise event held on the softball field. On Tuesday night, several dozen seniors spent a couple of hours at Raider Stadium for the annual Senior Sunset to bring to a close a year of memories.

“They watched the sunrise together as a class on the first day of school, and then they watched the sunset on the last day of school,” said Arthur Gilliam, a history teacher and senate advisor at the high school.

The evening was filled with laughter, tears, hugs, food, and fun activities. While playing corn hole, Jenga, and passing a football one last time on the field, many students brought chairs and blankets to relax, taking selfies, sharing stories, and signing each other’s yearbooks.

 “I think being able to watch the sun set on your senior year is something special,” Gilliam said. “So that’s the culmination from senior sunrise to sunset that makes this an amazing event.”

He said the event is important to students because it’s the last time they just get to hang out on campus.

“There are no big responsibilities left, and exams are over, but it’s not graduation yet,” Gilliam said. “Graduation is kind of like the finale for our students. You might not see everybody again after that. So, it’s great to see our seniors out here just having fun and connecting with their friends.”

One of the seniors having fun playing Connect Four with friends was Kimberly Quick. She said she loved that she started her senior year off with the Sunrise and was able to close out her senior year with the Sunset. She said it brought her final year full circle.

“We have all grown a lot during high school, and tonight we get to see some of our friends for the last time and say goodbye,” she said. “Everyone in the school comes together and supports each other. We are only one high school in the county, and we have to be there for each other. It’s the Raider Way.”

Sitting between the hash marks on the football field was a small group of friends reminiscing about their past year. Savannah Jordan and Ayden Mabe were next to each other, signing yearbooks and having laughs about life, and both will be heading to North Carolina State University.

Jordan, who plans to study accounting in college, said she had so many great memories during her senior year she couldn’t just pick one.

“We just had a lot of fun together throughout the year,” she said. “We got to do so many things as a class, like movie nights, homecoming, pep rallies, and even a dodgeball tournament. It made the year go by so much faster, and I can’t believe it’s over.” 

Jordan and Mabe both said there was never a dull moment as a senior.  Mabe, who will major in construction management, said the evening was important to him because it was one last opportunity to see many of his classmates before graduation. 

“There’s always something to look forward to here at Richmond,” he said.  

When asked about the meaning of “Raider Magic,” he said it was a way of life growing up here. 

“It’s about a community coming together and just knowing they’re there for you,” he said. “Even if we lose a game, people here in Richmond County are still behind you and support you.” 

Gilliam said it’s that magic that builds friendship on and off campus. 

“Friendship is one of our pillars at the school,” he said. “We want our students to be friends and build those connections that will last a lifetime.”

Hosting events like Senior Sunrise and Senior Sunset, Gilliam said, shows the importance of connecting with people and building those bonds.

“Our kids are so enamored with social media that having events like this show the significance of that face-to-face interaction, especially after something like COVID,” he said. “Tonight, they’re able to really get away from their phones and just spend time with each other.”