As of Feb. 5, a meeting was held in the school cafeteria for seniors regarding the class of 2026’s graduation and the changes made in comparison to previous years.
Some of the information mentioned should’ve been covered last semester, but as a reminder for the spring semester, the meeting renewed important dates and information needed for the graduations.
Firstly, senior week will be held on April 20 and last until April 24. In the middle of the week the senior picnic will be held on April 22. This is also the day seniors are expected to pick up their cap and gown for graduation during Raider Time and Wellness. To finish the week off, prom will be scheduled for April 25.
May will also be a busy month for seniors; Senior Sunset is scheduled for May 7 and will be at 7 a.m. in the Raider Valley. Baccalaureate will be hosted on May 14 at 6:30. Also, make sure not to have a heavy breakfast on May 12, for Chick-Fil-A will be provided to all seniors as the administration goes over more graduation information. Finally, graduation will be on May 17 and seniors are required to be there by 7:30. Each senior also gets 14 tickets for graduation, but you can talk to the councilors to request more.
Make sure to pay for senior dues! You may pay for senior dues by going to 3rdascent.com. This will cover your cap and gown, your diploma (including the cover) and your senior picnic. Caps and gowns will be delivered to the school in March, so it is very important to pay ahead if you haven’t already. It will be $185.
If a parent/guardian is interested in ordering graduation announcements, they may do so by going to 3rdascent.com as well.
If you’re interested in applying for a scholarship, there is a scholarship and financial aid page linked on North Forsyth’s counseling website. Scholarship help sessions will be held on March 25 in the college and career center if you want help applying for scholarships.
The administration also encourages seniors to reach out to someone for senior letters. There is no limit to who can write these letters; whether that’s family members, coaches, teachers, former teachers or friends. Anyone is welcome to write these letters to a beloved senior. These letters will be given out at the senior sunset.
As for new information, the administration decided to add something unique to this graduation that they haven’t done in previous years. They had added the “Most Inspirational Senior Award.” This award gives seniors the opportunity to be recognized for their hard work. Being an inspirational senior is someone who can lead, who is passionate about Raider Nation; and who can inspire others to be the best version of themselves. It will be a peer nomination; the administration is hoping this won’t be used as a popularity contest but rather as an award for the most kind, inclusive and committed senior. These nominations will be due by March 27. Finalists will be announced after spring break, and whoever wins the award will get their gown signed on April 22 at the senior picnic.
Next, graduation speeches. The administration is looking for students who are excited to speak in front of a crowd and can represent North Forsyth by speaking about everyone’s shared experiences. These speeches will be due by Feb. 28.
Valedictorian and Salutatorian will still be recognized at graduation and given their Valencell Medallion. They will also be the ones leading the classes to the arena with the class officers; however, they will not have a formal speech at graduation unlike previous years where the Valedictorian does the speech.
Any student can apply for the speech but they must have good academic and behavioral standings. They must also stay on campus for at least two class periods.
Lastly, graduation is a formal celebration, so there is a dress code. Admin wants everyone to look their best. For students choosing to wear dresses, the dress can be no longer than the graduation gown. If you choose to wear pants, make sure to wear slacks in black or khaki, and make sure to wear a collared dress shirt. It is advised to wear dress shoes; however, if you choose to wear high heels, note that there will be a lot of walking. The graduation gown is also expected to be zipped up. There will be no jeans, flip-flops, athletic shoes, sweat shorts; or shorts. You will be given something else to wear if you are out of dress code.
All of this information was also given in a Canvas email along with the link to the presentation in case you wish to have access to the presentation.
