As the school year kicks back into full swing, an increasing number of seniors at Dowling Catholic High School are advocating for an expanded number of senior privileges. The message is clear: being an upperclassman should come with more freedoms.

In a series of recent interviews, many seniors presented their case, offering suggestions for the upcoming school year. These benefits would greatly improve the final semesters of seniors at Dowling Catholic and reward them for all the hard work they have done to get to this point. 

Among a sample of interviewed students, open campus became a common privilege advocated for. Currently, seniors are expected to remain on campus for the entire school day. However, having the ability to go off campus during the unstructured times of the day, like Prime Time and lunch, would be much appreciated by seniors. Schools in the metro commonly allow students to have open campus during certain times, so why not Dowling? 

Senior Mary Honkamp proposed a designated parking lot for seniors, along with the idea of painted senior parking spots. Currently, the first-come, first-served system in the parking lot causes significant traffic and confusion among high school drivers, as well as among freshmen and sophomore students parking in the main lot without permission. Mary’s idea would provide much more convenience for seniors and ensure they have a parking spot every day, even if they are running late. This system would promote safety, practicality, and convenience for the senior class, and could become a reality with upcoming parking lot construction projects. The final idea proposed by seniors was priority locker selection over younger grades. Certain areas of lockers are known to be less crowded than others and preferred by students. After spending years navigating the hallways and maybe less accessible locker locations, many feel it is only fair to allow seniors this privilege. Being in a less crowded area can allow for more socialization and convenience during passing periods. 

“Since we are upperclassmen, we deserve more freedom,” senior Avery Stence claims, to emphasize the idea of senior privileges. Adding more benefits for upperclassmen can enhance their experience during their final year and help things go smoothly amid the busy process of applying for college and all the planning that comes with senior year.