The choice to or not to decorate the cap is a personal and important part of being a senior, and a great chance to show who you are at graduation and to other graduates.
By: Shaylin Bogart
In past years, high school graduates have been decorating their graduation caps to commemorate this enormous milestone in their lives, as well as to express themselves with their cap to make it theirs.
But of course the decorations put on the caps have changed throughout the course of time, so what is the class of, ’26, putting on their graduation caps?
Kai Korsgaden, ’26, said, “Yes, I am decorating my cap. My idea right now is I would like it to be the closing lyric from one of my favorite songs, Towny by Mitski, and it would be “I want to be what my body wants me to be“, on my cap.”
Amelia Fultz, ’26, said, “My idea would be something revolving around the musical Newsies, maybe about Seize The Day or just a newspaper design with some lyrics on it.”
Alex Espinoza, ’26, said, “An iconic quote from the game I want to put on my cap is, “Despite everything it’s still you.” This quote captures my feelings towards my life so far perfectly. Each obstacle we come across in our lives always leaves us a bit changed.”
A common theme here with ideas for decoration of the graduation caps revolves around music or games that these seniors resonate with and that make them feel sentimental about the chapter of the life they have lived in.
The graduation cap is a way of transitioning from a past chapter of life into the new chapter of life in tangible form.
Personally, on my graduation cap i’d like to put one of my favorite bands that I resonate significantly, Pink Floyd, either that or a quote that embodies me and how I felt during the High School experience as well as the transition period out of High school.
To me, my cap is a way for me to represent my true self on my cap on one of the most significant days of my life, of which i’ll be crossing the threshold of the life i’ve known into a new version.
So that begs the question, what is the significance and meaning behind the decorated caps of some of the other senior graduates?
Jayro Vargas, ’26, said that he feels that decorating his graduation cap will be his way of sending one final message to his high school self, he thinks it’s very important to continue the tradition to give creative minds liberty in their goodbyes.
Espinoza said, “I had seen people online of people who also put it on their caps. It’s so heartwarming to see others have resonated with this quote as much as I have. And being able to put it on my cap is an amazing opportunity to display this message that’s impacted my life so much.”
The decoration of the graduation caps is a meaningful and significant act to graduating high school students, even in the year 2026.
Fultz said, “It’s important that students continue to decorate caps, because it encourages creativity in an event where the outfits, and I say this lovingly, are rather drab. And also it lets students represent what they feel is important for them.”
Shaylin Bogart
Tags: '26 grads, opinion, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, redwood seniors, rhs, visalia ca
