As the 2024–25 school year comes to an end, Edina High School seniors are finding themselves trying to cram in as many memories as possible. But even throughout senior year, many different traditions have taken place.
Every Monday at EHS, you may notice an army of seniors suited up in their grey sweatsets stitched with purple paisley lettering.
“It’s a tradition that’s been around since my mom went to high school. All the senior women get matching outfits that they wear every Monday, and we all vote on the design and abbreviation each year. Someone has to run it, so it gets passed down every year,” senior Kaylee Roth said.
This acronym that changes yearly has a secret meaning kept only by the senior women. This year, the purple paisley lettering reads “SWEAP.”
“It can’t be reused within the last four years, so it’s a secret [between] all the senior women. It’s just a general meaning of something that relates to our class, and it’s an empowering statement,” Roth said.
In addition to the ensemble, being a part of senior women comes with other memorable experiences. One tradition done by schools across the country but made special at EHS solely for senior women is Senior Sunrise.
Towards the beginning of the school year, EHS seniors would put on their senior apparel and have an early start to their day at Kuhlman Field. As the sun came up, the graduating class would get together to take pictures to celebrate the beginning of their last year at EHS.
Another bittersweet event for seniors is Homecoming. Many senior women have the tradition of painting overalls to try to spread school spirit.
“I just worked on my overalls the whole week before that, and it lowkey took a really long time,” senior Kate Johnson said. “I spent hours painting them, and everyone was doing it together weeks before, which was fun.”
Homecoming and football in general has looked a little different this year for seniors. Before each game, the graduating class would meet up and have a fun tailgate before each game in the parking lot, giving them a chance to soak up their last Friday night lights.
One of the final moments the senior class gets to spend together before graduation is prom.
“I went to prom last year because I was dating a senior, so I kinda knew what to expect, but it was way more fun with my own grade because I knew everyone, and I thought that it felt really special,” Johnson said.
Many seniors take photos at Excelsior together before boarding boats with their groups, giving them a chance to take photos with other seniors and bring them together as their time comes to an end.
“I’m really ready to be done with the school part because it’s kind of repetitive, but I’m also super sad because I keep thinking about it, and I don’t want to leave any of my friends,” Johnson said. “That’s going to be the worst part, not seeing [my friends] everyday.”
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on May 20, 2025
