The 2024-2025 school year is coming to an end and Steinbrenner’s seniors are looking towards their next chapter after graduation. However, to wrap up their final weeks of high school, there are many events to celebrate the end. On Friday, April 25th the seniors took over the Universal theme park for the night. Universal closes their park early to prepare for the multiple high schools that attend this grad bash celebration and reopens it until around 4am for the seniors to explore.
“It was a lot of fun and definitely an experience I’ll remember,” said senior Taylor Goncalves.
But, before the fun began the students took charter buses from Steinbrenner to Orlando which consisted of a long 3-hour drive.
“During the drive…I entertained myself by chatting with my friends, watching…Netflix, and taking a small nap,” said senior Zaina Khan. With most students finding distractions on their phones or amongst their friends, the memories began right there.
While in the park, students were able to ride the rides, go into the shops, get food, and hang out with their friends. With multiple high schools attending in one night, the lines for the rides were extremely lengthy and led to many crowded areas. Even faced with lines, students waited to be able to experience the excitement of the rollercoasters.
“[My favorite part was] riding the e VelociCoaster…it was the best rollercoaster I’ve ever been on,” said Goncalves. The rollercoaster is themed for Jurassic World and was opened in 2021 on June 10th, showcasing its 155-foot drop.
One of Universal’s most well-known areas is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter world which consists of four different Harry Potter themed rides along with themed gift shops for souvenirs.
“My favorite part of the night was visiting Harry Potter world and riding the Gringotts rollercoaster,” said Khan. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts ride is a multi-dimensional thrill cart ride that takes guests on a journey navigating underground vaults.
The grad bash celebration at Universal has been an ongoing tradition at Steinbrenner. It adds more activity to the end of the year for seniors and serves as an incentive for them as well. During the second semester, seniors can’t have more than five unexcused absences if they wish to participate in these activities.
“…it gave seniors a reason to actually go to school,” said Goncalves. The addition of a special trip like being intertwined with attendance boosted the senior’s motivation during a period when “senioritis” kicks in.
Though the trip was long and exhausting, it “gives students an opportunity to bond with their class and have fun for one last time…,” said Khan. Memories were made this night that the class of 2025 will cherish and bring with them into the next chapter of their lives.
