The senior class gathered at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica at 6 a.m. for the Senior Sunrise event on Aug. 24, the last day of summer break. Prefect Council planned the event for the first time with social media support of Features Editor and Presentations Managing Editor Lydia Gugsa ’26.
Senior Prefect Samaya Sayana-Manchanda ’26 said watching the sunrise as a class was not just an activity, but a celebration of the start of their final chapter together.
“[The] Senior Sunrise event included food, photos and memories, but most importantly, it’s a time to bond as a class and marks the beginning of our last year together,” Sayana-Manchanda said. “We hope that this event will continue our ongoing goal as prefects to strengthen community and build connections.”
Quinn Hamilton ’26 said the Senior Sunrise was a symbolic kickoff to the last year of high school.
“I know I’m going to look back on these years as the best of my life and I want to make it as enjoyable as possible,” Hamilton said. “Spending time with my fellow students, even if it’s super early in the morning, will start the year off right.”
During the event, Diya Shevink ’26 said the seniors enjoyed eating bagels, watching the sun rise over the water and taking photos with friends using signs made by Prefect Council.
“The bagels were good,” Shevink said. “And I think that the signs were cute for photos. It’s nice to see people outside of school before we all see each other on campus.”
Marty Minikes ’26 said that the energy the day of Senior Sunrise was amazing, and that he was glad to see a lot of friends he hadn’t seen for the whole summer.
“The energy was electric,” Minikes said. “Everyone was buzzing, having a great time and being very social. It is very beautiful being at the beach, and the whole grade gets to hang out together.”
Hamilton said the sunrise was a metaphor for his last year at the school.
“The sun is rising over the beach,” Hamilton said. “And so it is like the sun is rising on the senior class and signaling the start of our final year. Then, when the sun sets, it is a nice symbolic end. There is beauty in that symbolism.”
