The start of a new school year means a new senior class, and a new senior class means the reappearance of many senior traditions, one of the most noticeable being freshly painted senior parking spots.
At the beginning of every school year, Utica seniors have the option to reserve a spot in the senior lot and paint an approved design of their choosing. The designs typically range from favorite sports, favorite songs or artists, significant quotes, or anything meaningful to the artist.
Many seniors see this opportunity as a way to leave their mark on the school and express themselves. It is a highly anticipated part of senior year for many underclassmen.
The process is simple, with the exception being the actual designing part. The students reserve their spot from the office, and the running price is $15. The artists then receive a form to sketch out their planned design to turn in for approval. As soon as the spot is approved, the senior is free to start painting.
A lot of the parking spot artists choose to trace their design out with chalk or mark it off with tape before they go in with paint, while some brave, artistic souls choose to freehand.
During this time of year, it's very common to see spots marked off with cones and caution tape because this is what is used to keep cars off of the wet paint. However, within a few weeks, the parking lot is a mural of beautiful paintings signifying the start of the last year of high school for the new senior class.
