“Class of 2025, I now pronounce you, graduates!”  At this exact moment, GRC graduates take off their caps and give them the ceremonial toss. 

The day that students have thought about their whole life is finally here. Graduation. It has to be the most thrilling, nerve racking, and freeing day. 

Once students walk across that stage to accept their diploma, they must think to themselves, “I really did it!” 

Graduation represents a ceremony that celebrates the last 13 years of hard work and dedication. Students’ caps and gowns hold a statement that should enhance their school colors, which has been a long standing GRC tradition, that is, until last year.  

Traditions are customary rituals that society looks forward to, such as decorating a tree at Christmas, or coloring and hunting eggs at Easter. The tradition of red and white gowns for GRC’s commencement has been around since GRC had its first graduation class in 1964. 

Changing this tradition, to me, is changing the symbolism of what it means to graduate from GRC.   

Black graduation gowns do not symbolize GRC’s school colors, so, when the students marched onto the football field, they saw the disbelief and confusion on the audience members faces by this new drastic color change. Having color creates a more joyful appeal for audience members to look at, more so than the depressing color – black. 

Before May of 2024, GRC senior girls wore a white cap and gown, while senior boys dressed in a red cap and gowns. As the graduates marched onto the football field during last year’s commencement ceremony, friends and family were in disbelief at the black gowns and caps the seniors were wearing.  

Senior Advisory co-leader Mrs. Newton explains the reasoning behind the change:

“As we all know, change can be difficult sometimes, but even traditions can evolve. The prospect of changing the caps and gowns was first discussed once we held the first graduation ceremony on the brand new GRC football field. There was a great deal of people who commented how the girls looked ‘washed out’ in their white gowns against the bright, white floor that’s laid every year for the ceremony in order to protect the turf. As we held more graduation ceremonies over the following years, it really did become apparent that a change needed to happen. And when we met with the Jostens rep, he explained that countless schools were taking the gender-neutral route because it provides a polished, uniformed look. We had multiple designs as options, and the black option was, by far, the sharpest looking choice because it allowed the red embroidered cardinal and white embroidered GRC to really pop! Secondly, the gowns look very collegiate. The decision to change the cap and gown design was not taken lightly. Once we held the first graduation ceremony with the new cap and gown design last year, we knew we had made the right choice because it honestly did look like a college graduation! Additionally, our graduates are all celebrating this huge milestone together because they’ve traveled the same road to finally arrive at this monumental occasion in their lives. And since they’re all celebrating the same mark on life’s timeline, why not also look unified by wearing the same gown design? Again, we know change can be tough, but GRC administrators and staff put the best interests of our kids first and foremost.”

As a senior, I understand the school’s perspective of the color change. However, school colors represent the unique identity and spirit of the school. School colors add more vibrancy and distinction to the event, rather than the classic black gowns that can feel generic and less special to the school. The black cap and gowns do not honor the school’s traditions and values, making the ceremony less meaningful to the community. 

Of all the pictures that I have seen of college graduations, the caps and gowns are a “traditional” black. By converting the tradition of red and white gowns to black, GRC seniors feel like we are experiencing a college graduation versus the highly anticipated high school graduation.  

I would be remiss to not mention the importance of school pride. By wearing red and white, seniors are showing off GRC’s school colors. In changing the colors of the caps and gowns, we, as students, are unable to display the GRC pride we will feel during this important milestone of our lives. 

Seniors cherish this last rite of passage with their classmates and friends. Prior to last year’s class of 2023, the red and white caps and gowns have been worn for 59 years. The graduating seniors of 2025 wish to re-establish this long standing tradition.