CCHS may be the union of red, black and white, but on April 27 seniors donned the colors of schools across the nation, representing the college that they will be attending next year. Academic signing day is an annual tradition hosted by BRACE advisor Christine Siwek, inviting students to show their school spirit by dressing up in college merchandise and enjoying cake with fellow seniors.
“I think [students] have been working hard in high school and they need to have an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments with cake,” Siwek said.
Since 2012, Siwek has been encouraging students to create college cards with which she can decorate the BRACE office. Bordering the bulletin boards in her office and covering the wall behind her desk, the cards are kept as both a tribute to CCHS alumni and as inspiration for current students seeking to stand in their shoes. A typical college card incorporates the colors of the school to which the student is committing, as well as their photo and a touch of glitter. The vibrant cards reflect the students’ excitement for what’s ahead.
#AcademicSigningDay 💫🌟@CooperCityHigh ✨Nice job @cchs_2018 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #CowboyPride 🤠 pic.twitter.com/JSGTzPsXpI
— Vera Perkovic (@APCooperCityHS) April 27, 2018
Florida schools dominate the board, with many students attending one of the institutions located in their home state. Senior Molly Baumel is among them, her card decorated in the eye-catching orange and blue of the University of Florida and complete with a graduation cap sticker. Baumel was surrounded by her family when her admissions decision came in – her brother, CCHS alumni Jake Baumel, even FaceTimed from Gainesville to see if his sister would be following him to “the swamp.”
“I truly felt that all the hard work I put into school paid off,” Baumel said. “I went to dinner with my family to celebrate and my friends came over.”
Some students will be leaving Florida behind in the fall, travelling to schools across the country. For senior Brianna Lageyre, going out of state doesn’t mean giving up sunshine; however, that’s one of the only similarities between her home in Cooper City and her new home at the University of California at Los Angeles.
“I’m definitely the most nervous about going all the way across the country and not knowing anybody,” Lageyre said. “It’s going to be really scary to be in another state all by myself but I’m also incredibly excited about the opportunity to meet new people and explore the city of Los Angeles.”
#AcademicSigningDay 🌟💫@CooperCityHigh 📖🎫 pic.twitter.com/bCRJ3cgjnB
— Vera Perkovic (@APCooperCityHS) April 27, 2018
Others will brave the cold, heading off to schools including Columbia University located in New York City, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in Michigan.
“I’m actually really excited about the weather [at the University of Michigan] because I’m looking for change and really hate the heat,” Nicole Jacobs said. “I was always planning to move to a cold climate when I grew up so it was definitely a positive factor in my decision to go to Michigan.”
Though seniors may be counting down the days until graduation, many are taking these opportunities at the end of the year to enjoy their final month of high school before the members of the Class of 2018 go their separate ways.
Photo courtesy of Assistant Principal Vera Perkovic
