Some students at PGHS have never heard of painting their graduation caps. In other schools,  the practice is a norm for seniors and do not understand why it is forbidden here.

Painting a graduation cap is a way for students to express individuality or to display heritage.

Some even take the opportunity to make a shout out to individuals who supported them through their lives. For those who do not have the privilege of contributing their favorite quote to the school’s yearbook, painting their cap is a way for them to still make an impression before they leave after the graduation ceremony.  

Even though this tradition is usually practised in colleges, high schools should start seeing this as a custom too. This event only happens once in a student’s life time, so giving them an opportunity to paint their caps would be a great way to congratulate students on the hard work they put in towards graduation.

Some would say that seniors who are allowed to put quotes in the yearbook should not need to paint their caps and in doing so would be disrespectful to the uniform tranquility of the ceremony. Others believe that the practice could form tremendous stress on whoever is responsible for organising the graduation ceremony and that allowing graduates to paint their caps would be too much of a hassle.

If the student and their family paid for the cap and gown with their own funds,  painting the cap should not matter to administration as long as the design is appropriate. Within reason, the freedom to express oneself should extend even to the graduation ceremony. Every graduate should stand out to their parents and family that attend without having to wonder if they are watching the right student.