A Fork in the River: Seniors Weigh Traditions Against Adventure

By: Kate McCoy '25

As the school year draws to a close, most seniors are preparing for the hallmark moments that define their final weeks on campus: hugging their teachers and fellow students goodbye at sunset ceremony, bonding through experiences in Senior Exit Week, and for some, competing in hard-earned playoff games that mark the peak of their high school athletic careers. But for the twelve students enrolled in the American Wilderness class, these senior rites of passage are at risk of becoming memories these students might not be able to make.

The American Wilderness class, capped at a small number of participants, has long been known as one of the schools most immersive and challenging experiential learning opportunities. Every year, the class partakes in a multi-day excursion along the Colorado River. The trip is “designed to offer students a chance to push their limits and connect deeply with nature”, said the trip leader and class teacher, Paul Denison. “There is a tremendous amount to be learned by pushing oneself outside of one's comfort zone and learning to work with those powerful forces, rather than fight against them.” Denison emphasized that the river trip is not just physical; it's an academic capstone that incorporates science, literature, philosophy, and personal growth. 

This year, however, the trip falls directly over three major events: Sunset Ceremony, Senior Exit Week, and, for some students, CIF playoffs. That overlap has left students facing a decision, and the timing of this trip has sparked a growing sense of conflict. “Sunset Ceremony is something I’ve looked forward to since freshman year,” one AmWild senior said. “It feels like this choice - the trip - means saying goodbye to a lot of other things too.” For many students, missing Sunset Ceremony isn't just about missing a school event, it's about missing out on symbolic Cate traditions and losing a symbolic moment of closure with the community they've grown up in. 

Senior Exit Week, a longstanding Cate tradition designed to ease the transition to college, features workshops on topics ranging from financial literacy to identity exploration. 

Patrick McCoy ‘89 noted it as “one of the most impactful aspects of senior spring - not only for its practical value, but for the sense of unity it fosters.” Although Senior Exit Week looked different for my dad when he was a student at Cate, it still seems to hold true to its fundamental values. He said that it was “not just about learning life skills, it's about being together as a class before we all go our separate ways.”

Then, there is Cate Baseball, currently playoff bound and poised for a deep run. Senior and team captain Peter Lehman, who ultimately decided not to attend the river trip, spoke about the magnitude of the decision. “It’s definitely a bummer,” he said, “We pulled a bad number in the lottery for the river permit, and I don't think we’ve ever had baseball playoffs this late before.”

Lehman, who has been looking forward to American Wilderness since his freshman year, said the decision to stay with the team wasn't easy. “It was really hard. I’ve wanted to do both since freshman year - especially the river trip. I’ve gotten pretty good at river rafting over the past four years, and Denison and I have talked about it for a long time. But with Ben and Swain leaving, and Quinn and me having put four years into building this team, I don't think it would be fair to walk away.”

While the administration and faculty acknowledge the conflict, they maintain that organizing an outdoor expedition of this scale is a logistical balancing act. “This is an unusual year,” Denison explained. “Normally we’d be able to leave a day earlier and return before Sunset Ceremony, but due to permit lotteries and increasing public demand, we had limited options - and this year, the permit came through a day later than we’d hoped.”

As for athletic conflicts, Dave Soto, the baseball coach, noted that “in a dream world, of course everyone would be here for playoffs. But Cate students are always pulled in a million different directions. Everyone wants your time, and there's only so much of it to give. If there's a way to work it out so everyone is happy then I'm all for it but that's a tall task.” 

Ultimately, the question facing these twelve students isn't about right or wrong - it's about the reality of conflicting priorities. Whether they find themselves paddling through canyon rapids or standing on Senior Lawn at sunset, they are all seeking the same thing: a meaningful conclusion to their time at Cate.

Image Taken by Johnny Foster '25