The senior students of Colegio Menor, their beloved teachers, and the entire Menor community were brought together by more than just the tradition of receiving senior hoodies on Sep. 17, 2023.
The seniors of 2024 were handed their traditional senior hoodies during the anticipated ‘Entrega de Hoodies’ event, which was marked by excitement both for the students as they revealed their long-awaited hoodies and for the teachers and administration staff who were selected to receive them.
However, the significance of these hoodies goes further than being mere symbols of an upcoming graduation or clothing. To the Menor community, these hoodies have a deeper meaning,
“It represents the unity [and the] harmony of all of the community,” Martin Revelo, a member of the class council and a contributor to the hoodie’s design, said.
In an interview, Revelo opened up about his creative process. He aimed to capture the essence of family in the hoodie’s design, recognizing that family couldn’t be encapsulated in gothic letters or superficial graphics.
“I thought about what family meant to me and how I could portray it into an art design that matches the essence of family,” Revelo said.
This demonstrates how from – behind the scenes – the hoodies are destined to represent more than just clothing.
The decision to gift these hoodies to teachers and staff wasn’t an easy decision. According to students, it was a process of thought that went all the way into how teachers affected their lives.
“What made us give the hoodies to those people was a thorough process of gratitude and taking into account everything all these people did for us and how it has influenced us,” Revelo explained.
The ‘Entrega de Hoodies’, a long-awaited event for the seniors, exceeded expectations thanks to meticulous organization and a heartfelt appreciation for each teacher and their speeches.
“My expectations for the event of the hoodies were really high, but I think it went really well because of the organization we had,” Valentina Mosquera, a speaker in the event and a participant in StuGov, said.
The event featured dedicated times for each teacher, photos, and a moment for students to proudly show their hoodies. It’s a memory that will linger in the student’s minds their whole life.
Teachers were also touched by the event and receiving their respective hoodies.
“Receiving the hoodie was by far one of the coolest things that’s happened to me while I have been a teacher here at Colegio Menor,” Matt Smith, a beloved English and journalism teacher at Colegio Menor, said.
Teachers may have been the most moved by their involvement in the student’s life and how they showed it with this commemorative piece, a hoodie, and an invitation to their family. The event not only reaffirmed relationships but also highlighted the sense of purpose that teachers found in their students’ lives.
“Not only did it feel good to just reaffirm relationships, but it feels really good to know that I’m serving a purpose in their lives,” Smith emphasized.
It is a symbol of the deep connections formed between teachers, students, friends, and family at Colegio Menor. These hoodies are a statement that represents far more than just a piece of clothing or a graduation year.
