English teacher Jennifer Wei has over 200 pictures on the walls of her classroom. She is one of the only Aragon teachers that has amassed such a huge collection of senior portraits and dance photos from students.
According to Wei, the tradition of sharing photos at Aragon started many years ago.
“When I was in high school,” says Wei, “when we weren’t busy trying to make fire with two rocks, we would give everyone our pictures, like our dance pictures, or our yearbook pictures.”
Even today, Aragon seniors follow this longstanding tradition.
“One of my close friends who just graduated wants one of my [senior portraits],” says senior Danny Halawi. “I’m probably giving my senior portraits to my family, and some of my close friends.”
Although formal portraits seem to be the popular picture for sharing, some students share their dance photos from homecoming, formal, or prom as well.
“A vast majority of Aragon seniors [last year shared] senior portraits,” says Aragon alumna Vivian Shen. “I gave my senior portraits to all my friends at Aragon and other high schools, but I only shared dance photos with my friends at Aragon. I just feel like if I shared my dance photos with people outside of Aragon, they wouldn’t know who my date was, so it would be kind of awkward. I definitely receive more senior portraits.”
On the contrary, Wei seems to get more dance photos. “I think it’s definitely the dance pictures—formal, prom, those tend to dominate. I think it’s because [students] see that they can give me either dance pictures or senior pictures, so non-seniors tend to give me dance pictures.”
However, the tradition seems to be localized within the Peninsula.
“Our whole district shares senior portraits,” says Shen. “When I ask, people in our district will give me their senior portraits. But when I ask people from other places, like the south bay or the east coast, they’re like, ‘Oh, why?’ So apparently, trading senior portraits isn’t really a thing in other places.”
Although the tradition of sharing memories through senior portraits and dance photos may not be as prominent in other schools as it is in Aragon, Halawi feels like this tradition is an important one.
“In general, it’s harder to stay connected with each other after high school,” says Halawi. “I feel like people give each other their senior portraits so that students can remember one another.”
“I believe senior portraits are the most genuine,” says Shen. “Everyone dresses up nice; it’s just you. I’ll write comments on my senior portraits, just so [my friends] can have something to remember me by.”
