Senior VS School: Prank Week 2014

On Friday, May 16 teachers and administration of Talawanda High School found entrances all around the school blocked. Boxes upon boxes stacked haphazardly in all ways prohibited staff from getting inside without first having to carefully disassemble the fortress. The culprits of this mysterious stronghold?

Seniors.

It seems that senior pranks have been a staple in high school history, with last year’s seniors arranging a water balloon fight in the parking lot to bring their year to an end, the opportunities are endless. From a dead fish stinking up the hallways to bicycle parades, senior pranks are a nation wide fad, garnering both good and bad attention.

Despite the nationwide spread of seniors playing pranks, Talawanda’s class of 2014 did something minutely different. Not just one prank was played. Not even two. No, this year’s graduating class planned an entire week of pranks to take the school by surprise. Through a private Facebook group of only seniors, the week had an event planned for every single day.

The masterminds behind this week of pranks were seniors Zane Marsh and Justin Brown. After setting up the Facebook page, both seniors compiled lists of possible ideas before finally arranging a schedule that all seniors could participate in. “The prank week had a very diverse set of ideas. It was well thought out and executed,” senior Matt Rudolph said.

The plan went as followed: Monday the 12th marked the beginning of prank week on which a sign would be hung from the rotunda reading, “The Chamber of Secrets has been opened, underclassmen beware”. Tuesday brought about another sign filled prank on which “For Sale” signs were placed in front of and on the school asking for a mere $2014 to buy the school. Tuesday night was spent preparing for Wednesday’s prank, where staff would find the school and parking lot covered in a web of yarn and string. Thursday night was spent camping out on the turf, while the week was brought to a close on Friday with the cardboard fort blocking the entrance to the school.

But the week didn’t go exactly as planned. Immediately following the set up of Monday’s prank, administration ordered the sign to be taken down.  Senior Thomas Dyer remarked that,”It was kind of stupid when all the fun was ruined because they took down the sign so quickly.” A warning was even issued on the announcements warning seniors of “consequences” following anymore pranks. But the seniors weren’t deterred.

Tuesday’s prank was still carried out, although those signs were also quickly taken down. Many seniors found it unfair, although administration argued that the signs were never approved. But does the punishment really fit the crime? Mindy Utay, a therapist and social worker in Manhattan argues that senior pranks are “controlled mayhem” and are arguably even healthy.

“As long as it doesn’t get out of control, I think it is healthy. It’s something they look forward to after all the pressure – a chance to take back some of the control. It’s rebellion against that pressure, empowerment. It marks the end of the high school experience,” she explained.

Wednesday’s prank also met some resistance, when police and administration showed up while seniors were stringing the school Tuesday night. Thursday and Friday’s pranks went off without a hitch, bringing the week to a close as staff had to remove dozens of boxes that rainy Friday morning.

Marsh and Brown were pleased though, saying, “We think it could have gone a little bit better, but we wanted to do something different and leave a legacy.” And they have, with the entire week of pranks, Talawanda was met with an experience never quite seen before.

And who knows? Next year might be even better.