Helix’s Senior Sunrise event means an early wakeup call for many students

Getting some teenagers to wake up early on a school day can sometimes be a real chore. But what if it is for a good cause?

Many Helix Charter High School seniors will wake up a little earlier this Friday as they take part in the annual Senior Sunrise event. The event, which allows seniors to bond in their final year of high school, is a Helix tradition that many seniors and staff enjoy being a part of.

Teacher Jaime Woodland is an advisor to the Helix Class of 2026. Although she will not be able to attend in person this time, she helped organize the event.

While COVID interrupted the event several years ago, the special morning has been back on track in recent times.

“The event itself is usually just gathering together as a class, watching the sunrise and taking photos,” Woodland said. “Sometimes there is food and beverages, sometimes there’s not. It is usually based on what the class decides.”

While getting up earlier than usual may not excite many teenagers, the seniors here seem not to mind.

“I think they are excited to start their last year together, and they will finish the year with Senior Sunset at the beach. Not a lot of prep needed for this.”

For Woodland, she added that she enjoys being a part of the classes and being involved in the things they like to do when time and scheduling permit.

One senior looking forward to the event is class president Daphne Drapeau.

“I got involved in Senior Sunrise because as senior class president, I want to keep the tradition going,” Drapeau said. “I love how it kicks off the beginning of the end for our high school careers.”

Drapeau believes events like this one help to bond the senior class even more.

“This event and many other of our senior events really bring us all together as one class and not just separate groups,” Drapeau added. “These are the special memories we will all be able to share and look back on in the future.”

Sarai Thompson, a fellow senior and class vice president, was also one of the student officers involved in planning the event along with Drapeau, Brynn Skullerud (treasurer), and Jazell Smith (secretary).

“For me, being a part of planning it made the event even more special, because I knew how much it meant for all of us to start this year with a moment that felt both symbolic and unifying,” Thompson said. “Personally, what I’m going to enjoy the most is standing there with my classmates, watching the sky change as the sun comes up. It feels surreal knowing this is the start of our final year together and that we’ll only get to experience this once.

I think it reminds all of us to slow down and take in the moment, instead of rushing through senior year. This event really does bring us closer as a class because it’s something we’ll all look back on and remember as the moment our senior journey truly began.

“It isn’t just about the sunrise, it is about being together, celebrating how far we’ve come, and looking forward to the rest of the year with the people who have been part of this journey since freshman year.”

Smith is also reflecting on how fast the time has gone from being a very young student to graduating next spring.

“It is eye-opening to realize that we are seniors and we were able to achieve 12 years of school,” Smith remarked. “Also, I love coming together afterwards to have breakfast. I do think this event helps people come together.”

On this Friday morning, Helix seniors have an opportunity to be together and take in what they hope w a beautiful sunrise over La Mesa.