A yearly school tradition has arrived, where graduates get to do the yearly hill painting, with a design that’s meaningful to them.
The school started a tradition back in the 1960s where they let graduates paint a section of the road to express themselves. Senior paint days continue to adapt and reflect each graduate’s unique identity as they transform the hill with creativity and spirit.
Staff members Von Mitchell and Huntley Hamilton also attended the high school and shared their memories from their past painting days. Mitchell and Hamilton explained how before, the road would not be a supervised thing.
“It was almost like we were sneaking to do it,” Hamilton said “But what I would have changed was I’d have someone else do my painting so it was better,” Hamilton said.
Mitchell also shared a memory he had during his school days, saying,
“I didn’t have any paint, so somebody loaned me a can of wall paint. I poured my name and shortly after I poured my name and basketball number. A jeep drove up the hill through all that wet paint,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell explained how you would know who it was because they still had paint on their tires, and how his name got smashed.
“But none of us got smashed, so that was a good thing, you know. You had to dodge traffic, we had a blast,“ Mitchell said.
With staff members who attended the high school in the past, present graduates also made memories to add to the hill painting tradition.
Senior Rodrigo Lopez said it feels good to see his painting on the road, knowing that it’s a little bit of himself that he got to share with our town.
“When others see my design, I hope they get to see a little bit about myself and what I liked while I was in high school.”
So, the next time you drive down 9th Street Hill, take a moment to appreciate the vibrant artworks and stories it tells. Senior paint week is a reminder that even the simplest traditions can leave a lasting impact on a community, and that the spirit of each graduating class lives on, one colorful brushstroke at a time.
