Room N407 in the Academy of the Holy Names (also known as the senior lounge) is a designated area in the school that is given to each senior class as another privelage for being the oldest girls on campus. The lounge is earned and can be kept only by good behavior and the simple task of keeping the room clean. Unfortunatley, the class of 2016 did not follow these rules Thursday, October 8. The lounge was full of trash and none of the girls picked up after themselves. As a result, the lounge was taken away for the Thursday and Friday of the following week.

Two days may not seem like much, but to senior Alicia Avila, “those two days felt like two weeks!”

The senior class reacted with anger and frustration not only to the faculty, but to their own classmates for the disrespect and messiness of the lounge. Junior Tessa Vaughn comments, “I felt bad for the seniors because I know that they are not the only class that has a tendancy to be messy.”  Junior Olivia Valdez also adds, “the junior class was shocked to find out about the seniors getting the lounge taken away. The news made our whole class realize that when we get the lounge, we better make sure it’s clean.”

No longer being able to eat break or lunch in the lounge, the seniors had no other option but to gather someplace else to eat. Principal Sister Ann Reagan called for a mandatory lunch to be held right outside of her office in the second floor hallway. This was a time for the girls to sit and relfect on their actions. In addition to lunch, after school the senior class met in the chapel to discuss their behavior and reaction to the situation.

Going into the meeting, the seniors were frustrated. All they wanted was for the day to be over so they could get their lounge back. After Sister Ann talked to the girls about the importance of accountability and respect, the class had a different view on the situation. No longer were the girls upset at the faculty, but instead they were disappointed in themselves for not taking care of their space. Over the weekend, the seniors stated on their class Facebook page that if the lounge was something they wanted they would have to keep it clean. Sister Ann’s talk changed the girls outlook on their punishment.

After the two days were up, the seniors finally were allowed back into the lounge on Monday morning. This incident was a huge wakeup call for the class of 2016. The class realized that if they wanted to keep the lounge, it had to be kept clean. Freshman Gloria Buffano comments, “The seniors getting their lounge taken away was not only a wakeup call for them, but to the whole school. I’m only a freshman, but when I become a senior, I will make sure my class keeps the lounge clean.”

Ever since this incident, the senior lounge has been more clean than ever!