Seniors participate in College Commitment Day

College destinations permeate the globe

Emily Francis, Graduated Editor-in-Chief|April 30, 2021

Post-it+notes+adorn+two+maps+%28one+displaying+California%2C+the+other+the+United+States%29.+On+Commitment+Day%2C+seniors+placed+the+notes+in+the+area+they+plan+to+attend+college.
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Shoshana Medved
Post-it notes adorn two maps (one displaying California, the other the United States). On Commitment Day, seniors placed the notes in the area they plan to attend college.

Dear Student,

Congratulations on your admission into Stanford University, Moorpark College, University of California, San Diego and hundreds more!

To celebrate College Commitment Day, seniors were encouraged to wear their college merchandise on Thursday, April 29. Seniors on campus were invited to stop by the College & Career Center to place their college destination while seniors at home were able to send in a photo and graduation destination for College & Career Center Adviser Julie Prince to place on the map. 

Photo courtesy of Oak Park High School

“Seeing everyone in their hats and gear made me feel like high school was actually ending. I was smiling the whole time,” senior Ethan Grinberg, who committed to University of California, Los Angeles, wrote to the Talon. “Putting my name on that board and taking pictures with people just felt great. After not seeing that many people for the past year, it was as though things were finally normal.”

Seniors on campus were also able to take photos in front of the Oak Park High School banner in front of the College & Career Center. 

“My friends and I were able to take a bunch of cute pictures in front of the banner which was a very nice experience. My favorite part was being able to see all the people I hadn’t seen in over a year and congratulate them for all their hard work. Being in distance learning the whole college commitment still feels a bit surreal but having a dedicated commitment day helped me realize that college will soon be a new reality for me and my peers,” senior Benecia Jude, who committed to University of California, Berkeley, wrote to the Talon. 

According to Prince, it was very heartfelt to see the seniors together celebrating their decisions. She expressed her pride in their accomplishments despite the challenges they’ve had to endure. 

“The College & Career Center staff wishes every senior whether you are attending a 2 year or 4 year college, joining the military or starting a career all the best,” Prince wrote to the Talon. “Remember ‘Life is not about how you survive the storm, it’s about how you dance in the rain!’”