This morning, Lynn English’s Class of 2014 pulled their senior prank, which was a brief, raucous party in the third-floor corridor of the school. Students had various types of party noisemakers. They filled the hallways with confetti as they sang, banged on lockers, and cheered for about ten minutes before dispersing and heading off to class.
I really liked this prank. While the description may sound a little lame, the sheer number of students made it into a significant event. One of the things I particularly liked was that it was fully inclusive—any senior could join in and participate regardless of whether he/she was part of the group that planned the prank, or even knew anything about it beforehand. It created a moment when all of the seniors had an opportunity feel good about being part of their class. It was also clever in that it played on one of the biggest fears that most teachers and administrators have—a school full of kids who are out of control, with the teachers and administrators utterly powerless to stop them.
What made the prank classy was that even though the students had played on our fear and were fully in control of the situation, they kept it tasteful. Nobody got hurt. Nothing was damaged. (They did leave a mess on the floors, but a few kids stayed behind to sweep up after everyone else had gone to class.) No one did anything lewd or obscene. The kids simply partied until it was clear to everyone that they had won, and then they were finished. Simple, but effective. Nice job, Class of 2014!
