Published November 6, 2025
By THEODORA MILLER
All CHS senior athletes will be recognized in myriad ways, starting with senior posters for each individual athlete as well as collaborations with The Carmel Pine Cone and standardized senior game night celebrations in hopes of boosting school spirit.
“This is just the first step,” says Padre Parents senior recognition chair Lisa Hanson.
Padre Parents has started a new program dedicated to raising support for seniors. Additionally, Hanson and Padre Parents president Kati Enea, who also serves as the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, have partnered with the Monterey Credit Union to pay for all sport recognition efforts such as the senior banners, senior recognition in The Pine Cone and partnership with the Chamber of Commerce.
Padre Parents hopes seniors and freshmen alike will be more motivated to stick with a sport because of the promise of recognition. photo by THEODORA MILLER
Hanson began the poster project because she was disappointed that most of the CHS senior recognition in the past had been a parent-based project, unlike the more uniform system she has helped create. Hanson believes the more things students share, the more connected CHS will be as a campus.
During the project, students such as senior Violet Frew and juniors Ava Carter Salazar and Chelsea Weaver helped design posters and take photos. Even the Photo 1 class chipped in by hanging senior banners around campus.
“Creating the banners is a great way for the arts to support our athletes and the funds raised support our arts programs,” enthuses photography teacher Holly Lederle. “Some of the proceeds will go to covering artists participating in arts competitions, so it makes a cool cycle of students supporting students.”
The last home game of each varsity sport, also known as the senior game, will be undergoing quite the facelift as new goals have been established by Padre Parents, including rehanging senior banners in the playing area’s vicinity and including game announcements to acknowledge each senior by discussing the number of years they have played and any graduation plans they have.
Besides the banners and announcements, a small token of appreciation will also be given to each senior athlete, making senior game night a more memorable occasion.
“It’s a good way of honoring the seniors who have been in these sports for so long,” shares senior cross country competitor Lauren Galicia.
Although the senior measures only extend to athletes and pep band right now, Hanson hopes to acknowledge senior achievements in other CHS activities such as robotics and mock trial. Additionally, Lederle would like to include Sports Medicine in the list of activities receiving banners during the winter.
Cross country coach Matthew King says, “It’s great that they’re doing something to honor the seniors with the banners.”
