As the end of the school year gets closer, seniors are getting more and more anxious to finally graduate and be done with high school. Before that happens though, there are still almost two months of school to go. These two months are filled with events and tasks for seniors and their family members.

Starting with this month, April has some very important dates that all seniors should know. On April 26, there will be a senior meeting during Cougar Class. This will be held in the auditorium and will be led by Mrs. Hoffmann and Ms. Squires. The next day, April 27, is a cap and gown make-up day. Jostens will be at the school during both lunches again, and you can pick up your cap and gown then if you have not already done so.

In May, there are many events, including the one that everybody is excited about: prom. Prom night is Friday, May 12 from 8:00 pm until 11:55 pm. It will be held at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham. The theme for this year’s prom is “A Night on the Boardwalk”. Tickets are on sale online in the OSP (online student payments) portal until May 9. You can pick up your tickets outside Ms. Hoskins’ room (1210) during either lunch from May 1 through May 10. To pick up your ticket(s), you will need to have your ID and your filled-out permission slip as well as one for your guest if you are bringing one. These permission slips can be found on the school website or at the link here. 

Prom is not the only thing going on in the month of May. For students who plan to attend college next year, May 1 is the deadline to confirm your enrollment for many colleges and universities. Also during the first two weeks of May, AP testing will be taking place in the library. If you are signed up for an AP test, be sure to check your AP Classroom to confirm the date and time of your exam. May 26 is senior awards day as well as the clap out. This event is required for all seniors, so you must participate, and you must wear your cap and gown for this event. The awards ceremony will start at 8:30 am and will take place in the auditorium. If you are receiving an award, your parents will be notified ahead of time and invited to the award ceremony.  The senior clap out will take place immediately after the awards ceremony is over, and underclassmen and staff will take part in the clap out as well.

June is the month that all seniors are anxiously awaiting, their last month of high school. Before graduation, however, a few events are taking place. On June 9, there will be a senior picnic at 11:00 am in the courtyard. This will be followed by graduation practice at 12:30 pm in the main gym. This is a required event where you must attend graduation practice; this is also where you will be receiving your graduation tickets. On June 11 from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm, there is a senior baccalaureate service at Apex United Methodist Church. This service is not a required event but is open to students of all faiths and their families if they wish to attend; for more information, visit the school website.

June 14 is the day that all seniors have been waiting for since the beginning of the year, it is graduation day. Graduation will take place at Raleigh Convention Center at 8:00 pm on Wednesday, June 14. Each student will receive six graduation tickets automatically, and as of now (though it is subject to change), they will receive an additional two tickets at the graduation practice on June 9. 

While graduation is coming up fast, remember to enjoy these last couple of months of high school and attend the senior events; graduation will come around faster than you expect.