Paint the Dam spawns slippery conditions

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Mathew Huf, Reporter

Paint the Dam usually takes place over the summer for seniors at Guilford. This year, however, it was scheduled for the 10th of September. After a good two weeks into their year, seniors finally underwent this traditional rite of passage.

“I would rather have the event hosted in the fall because most seniors are busy with other things over the summer,” said Eric Lawson, senior. “It’s much easier to coordinate when you have every senior in school because it’s easier for word to get around about the event.”

Paint the Dam began in 1954 with a group of West High School Basketball players as an act of school spirit. For many years, the park district did not require the different Rockford Public High Schools to have a permit. In 2003, the Park District was forced to sanction the activity, after a group of students failed to clean up their mess. In order to receive the permit, you must apply and pay a fee. This year, Guilford’s student council was unable to get the check in because the school wouldn’t allow it to be submitted until after registration.

“I think that Paint the Dam is a fun activity for all of us seniors to revel in,” said Ryan Baxter, senior. “At the end of the day you’ll be covered with so many colors and filled with an incredible amount of joy. It’s a lot of fun for the beginning of the end of what has been a great four years. It’s a great way to kick off our final year with a bang.”

You could call it a blessing in disguise for the Guilford class of ’18. They got the chance to one up every other high school in the area that was able to paint the dam earlier in the year. It also allowed for transferring seniors to get to know their fellow classmates before they became one cohesive group.

“I enjoyed getting covered in paint along with splattering others,” said Randy Lundeen, senior. “The event was better than I expected it to be although it was a pain to get the paint off.”