The Harvard-Westlake Parents Association (HWPA) held their first Senior Appreciation event of the year on the Quad on Sept. 9. Seniors were able to receive complimentary lunch along with shaved ice, a shirt and a reusable bag.

Isleen Lee ’26 said it felt good to be recognized as a senior.

“It felt kind of surreal because for the past two years at the Upper School, I’ve always seen the senior appreciation events but never got to take part in them, Lee said. “Now I see that these things are for us, which just reminds me that I’m a senior now.”

Miles Aguilar ’26 said this experience helped him realize the importance of senior appreciation.

“When I watched the previous senior appreciation days happen, I didn’t think it was that meaningful of an experience,” Aguilar said. “But this year I really felt appreciated as a senior, being able to enjoy the food and seeing many senior parents that I knew on campus.”

Sally Ramberg ’26 said she appreciated the HWPA’s effort and how this event celebrated seniors for their last year on campus.

“I just want to say thanks to the HWPA for organizing the event,” said Ramberg. “It would be really easy to just let the year pass by, but by calling attention to it being senior year for us, they’re really making this year special. I’ve seen these types of events before, and now being a part of them, I’m realizing how close I am to the end of high school and it’s kind of scary but really exciting.”