Student Council (STUCO) sponsored WHS events have kicked off this year with Senior Sunrise and Timbie Tailgate. Over the past year, STUCO has heard feedback from the student body that they want more events of interest to them. Consequently, STUCO started the year out strong with these two casual events. 

As WHS students heard of other town’s senior events, the seniors began to talk of having an event early on in the year rather than waiting for the senior events such as Senior Breakfast at the end of the year. STUCO answered the requests with a Senior Sunrise. Although they first talked about it being on the first or second day of school, STUCO concluded that the best turnout would be if they waited until the second week of school. STUCO is additionally looking into a sunset at the end of the year, so the year begins with a sunrise and culminates with a sunset. 

On Friday, Sept.9, seniors met at John Turco field at the high school at around 6 a.m. to watch the sunrise. Seniors brought their own breakfast, coffee and blankets and met with their friends on the field. 

“My favorite part was the memories. Although the sun wasn’t visible, people had fun and it was a place where we all hung out with people we might not normally be with outside of school,” Student Council Vice President Sabrina Abate said. 

STUCO expanded their beginning of the school year events to all grades with “Timbie Tailgate.” STUCO brought back a tradition that died out over five years ago where students host a tailgate with food and games prior to Friday night football games as a way to foster school spirit. 

Planned just a week before the tailgate, STUCO gathered decorations, burgers, hotdogs and sodas. The tailgate started at around 4:30 pm and went up until the start of the game at 5:45 pm. There was Kanjam on the tennis courts and food just outside. Entry to the tailgate was free, so attendees only had to pay for food and drinks, and students were able to avoid the ticket line and pre-pay for the football at the tailgate. 

“It was just a good way to get excited before the football game, and I’d say it definitely worked because the student section was great,” Student Council President Marcus Gurtowski said. 

STUCO chose to host the tailgate specifically before the Natick football game because they expected a strong showing last because the football team as Natick is considered WHS football rivals. Tensions were high as the team lost last year in the last few minutes of the game. However, this year Walpole did not have the same fate as the student section cheered the football team to a 26-0 win. 

“It was just a good way to get excited before the football game, and I’d say it definitely worked because the student section was great,” Gurtowski said.