Name That Senior!
Remember how radio stations would do their "Two for Tuesday" selections? Overlake is taking a new spin on that idea with our 12 for Tuesdays with our Name that Senior feature.
With the Class of 2020 finishing out their senior year in distance learning, the idea to recognize students through technology is another way to keep that Overlake community spirit vibrant. "We have all these senior photos that we really won't have an opportunity to showcase as we've done in past years," explains Assistant Head of Upper School Meghan Waddle. "Tuesday is the start of the school week for our students, and social media is where a lot of our kids are going to catch up on happenings at the school. By featuring a dozen seniors per week on that day, it gives our community a sense of who is part of this graduating class."
Waddle says that she has been meeting with ASB President Anna D. and Office Coordinator Becky Silliman to put together the profiles with many including a senior quote. They are putting them on Overlake's Facebook and Instagram accounts. ASB President Anna D. ('20) believes that senior engagement always wanes with graduation on the horizon, but certainly this pandemic has changed the reasons why. "The class of 2020 is going through a slide, like almost all other senior classes during their second semester. And of course, the fact that classes are now credit/no credit as well as the seemingly worldwide lack of motivation because of the pandemic doesn’t help," explains Anna. "However, that’s not to say that our class isn’t engaged socially. It’s definitely harder during this time, however, we’re doing a better job being encouraging and supportive of each other right now than I thought we would be."
Waddle wants the seniors to know that our Overlake community is here for them too, and that several discussions and plans are being made to recognize their accomplishments. Senior ASB leaders are meeting Friday to discuss how they'll do Field Day this year or possibly create a new tradition. "Even if they're not on campus for that last week, they want to do something memorable. We want to make sure that our ideas are something they'll love rather than just accept, and I've already been getting lots of great tips from students, teachers, administrators, and families," says Waddle.
As for the student-run ASB, the work is constant, and its representatives are shouldering a big responsibility for fellow students. Anna says that no one could have imagined that this was how the school year would end, but she reminds us that the ASB students do it for everyone at Overlake. "My message is, 'we hear you, and we’re doing the best we can.' ASB is made up of kids whose love for the school is immeasurable, and who are working so hard behind the scenes to get things done," says Anna. "I think it’s really easy to view ASB as an entity, but really, we’re just kids, who are going through the same thing you are, and want to make things better. We want to make these next few weeks as fun and full of heart as possible."
We're also putting a video together for each week's senior profiles. Click here to see our first one, and Congratulations to the Class of 2020 and their families.
