Graduation gowns resolved

November 14, 2011
Filed under Activities and Clubs, Centerpiece, Featured, News, Top headline

By Jamie Jones

As the senior class of 2012 filled the rows and chairs of the Little Theater, talk of graduation announcements, class rings and a future beyond high school, captured the ears and eyes of most.

Although the presentation was aimed toward ordering gown sizes and graduation invitations, a few noticed something that made them upset: the gold and green gowns.

“I went to the presentation and assumed Borah always wore just green,” senior Taylor Green recalled.

Green was unaware that, when it is decided to have both green and gold, the girls usually wear gold while the boys dress in green.

“When I saw the green then the yellow, I became upset. I think we should alternate it. Guys were yellow and girls were green, if we are going to have two colors.”

Green explained that she was upset over the two different colors for many reasons. “Yellow is simply unattractive,” Green expressed. “I think we should graduate in one color as one united class, not separated.”

She also disliked the idea because it was presented to her as a way to separate boys from girls, as a way to distinguish genders. “We should all be equal,” Green said.

In such uproar over wearing gold gowns to graduation, Green started a petition. She collected more than 130 signatures, but didn’t turn them in to Student Council.

“Even if they would’ve turned the petition in, it wouldn’t have done anything,” senior Vice President Brooke Wimer explained. “It’s the senior class president’s decision either way.”

In the midst of such tension among the senior girls, senior class President Rachel De Voe said she felt stressed. The decision had been on her mind since she was elected into position last spring and she knew it wasn’t going to be an easy fight.

“The petition wasn’t necessarily the case for our decision,” De Voe said. “However, after much consideration, we decided on going with all green. It looked the best with the cords for National Honors Society and the gold was slightly transparent.”

De Voe listened to both pro-green and pro-gold sides of the debate, but ultimately hoped to have pleased the majority of the student body.

“(Rachel De Voe) consulted with myself and other senior class officers when she was faced with the decision,” Wimer said. “The petition didn’t turn out too well, but I feel if people are so passionate about what color is worn, they should’ve run for class president.”

Senior Hayden Powell commented, “I wouldn’t have minded wearing gold. It doesn’t matter–it’s, at max, four hours of your life.”

Green is pleased with the decision and felt De Voe represented her senior class well. “It wasn’t about starting a fight,” said Green. “It was simply a Democratic process.”