Dating back for the 57 years since West Forsyth’s opening, Senior Awards Day has remained a largely stable fixture of the senior year experience. The concept isn’t one that invites great revision. From 9 a.m. to noon, seniors will be recognized for their individual accomplishments: whether it be academic excellence, community service, dedication to the arts, or any of the many other activities and disciplines West seniors are involved in. There will be ambassadors from community organizations, such as the Shallow Ford Foundation, and even a representative from the Marine Corps.

Awards Day, besides recognizing the achievements of the senior class, is meant to serve as a trial run for graduation. “We get students used to the groups they will be in [for graduation], and then we get them used to entering in an orderly fashion.” Graduation Sponsor Christopher Ecklund said. “They’re also supposed to be in the dress code that we’ve established for graduation.”

Taking charge of Awards Day is Rhonda Powell, who has run the ceremony for the last twelve years.

“[We try] to transform the gym and make it as nice as we can possibly make it. We set up around 575 chairs, the orchestra will be playing that morning and that afternoon as the seniors proceed out. It takes about nine to ten hours to transform the gym,” Powell said. Despite the work that comes with coordinating the appearances of many representatives and decorating the gym, Powell spoke of the event with reverence. “It runs the gamut of different ways students are recognized, and [featuring] lots of students that often don’t get recognized.” She added: “I love to come to school because of you all, because of our students, and the sad thing is there’s so many that we [the administrators] don’t get to know. And that’s part of why this is such a great event, because you get to see people in a different light that you don’t normally get to see.”

Seniors shared differing amounts of enthusiasm about the event.

“I think hard work should be recognized and a lot of these fine members of our society worked very hard to achieve certain things, and they’re being recognized for that hard work,” William Price III said.

“I feel like it [Awards Day] is unnecessary, and I feel like it is wasting my time,” Tay Long said.
Awards Day will be held tomorrow, May 20.