Establishing New Traditions: 2025 Seniors’ Pinning Ceremony

Isabella Damas, Contributing Writer

May 7, 2025

High School principal Jonathan Schoenwald speaks to the alumni and students. This was the first year that the ceremony was at the Hu court.

This year’s senior pinning ceremony was held on Thursday, May 1, at the Hu court during first period. This year’s pinning ceremony was a very special one, as it was the first time it took place at the Hu court, and will set the precedent for years to come.

“I like that they made this a new tradition, and I think this tradition should remain for the rest of the Gulliver graduates and people that are going to come through Gulliver for all these times,” senior Christopher Prats said.

Each of the students was inducted into the alumni community by an individual alumnus themselves.

“I felt great because it just shows the character development for me as a Gulliver student, and working well, and how to become a great alumni because I saw so many great alumni at the pinning ceremony. So it just makes me feel proud to be part of the Gulliver Prep family for the rest of my life,” Prats said.

Senior Juan Gudino grabs a blueberry muffin. Breakfast was provided for all attendees of the event.

Alumni from every decade since the ‘80s attended the ceremony and interacted with the seniors.

“I was able to talk to a few alumni and hear how Gulliver just changed their life, and how networking and staying close to the Gulliver family is very important,” senior Roberto Munoz Barattolo said.

In order to organize this ceremony every year, there is a process that must occur, involving many forms of communication from the school and alumni.

“We had to come up with an idea, figure out how we were going to do the pinning, order the pins, reach out to all of our alumni, and ask them if they were able to come and volunteer to participate in pinning a senior,” Associate Chief Advancement Officer, Natalie White said. We also reached out to our legacy families, sent out emails, and set up the rooms,” White said.

Overall, students really enjoyed the ceremony and were able to connect with their classmates, as well as other people from the community.

“I thought it was great to get together with former Gulliver students. It was nice to be able to sit with my classmates and have one last assembly and hear what they had to say about it,” senior Reed Gettler said.