A few weeks ago, the Upper School held the Kindergartener-Senior bonding ceremony, making it the 27th year of this program. Since the first graduating class in 1994, the  kindergarten class has “adopted” the senior class. Each senior is paired up with a kindergartener, and together they participate in activities throughout the year. We had the opportunity to speak with two seniors, Emily Hamer and Vanessa Vaz, who share a kindergartener. They provided some insight into the selection process and their experience thus far. They spoke about how this relationship could carry on beyond their graduation and school years as well. Hamer said, “It’s interesting because you see all those pictures of the kids going to their senior’s weddings.” She goes on to say, “the idea that I could know this kid for that long is kind of wild.” Having the seniors supervise the kindergarteners teaches them a sense of responsibility and leadership that will be beneficial in their future. The seniors have enjoyed spending time with their kindergarteners and partaking in activities such as playing games, taking pictures, and indulging in sweet treats. Spending time with each other brings them closer and allows them to bond. We also had the chance to meet with Ms. Early, who has been running the program since 2002 alongside Ms. Larance. She spoke about her favorite Cooper tradition of the adoption process, and she explained the program’s value. She emphasized how much the kindergarteners look up to the seniors as role models. Not only does it bring the students together, but it also allows connections to be made with faculty members. Ms. Early shares her thoughts on the future of the kindergarten- senior traditions and her hopes for all future classes: “It is a tradition that definitely needs to go on… It’s too important to let go.”