Article written by Arianne Goode
Class rings have been around for quite a while, and they continue to serve as a way of remembering one’s time in high school. But, with the 21st century revolving around frequent advances in modern technology, it seems no longer as important for students to invest in a class ring. High schoolers can now capture moments using just the lens of a phone’s camera. These pictures and videos will forever remain within the digital world without the risk of becoming lost or damaged. Though the realm of technology is a vast one today, it has not always been so extensive.
Mr. Jake Luhr, principal of NHS, says that “back in the early 90s, class rings were a big deal for some classmates and not so much for others.” Luhr, along with many others in his graduating grade, invested in one of these customized rings to remember his time in high school. He believes that choosing to buy one is a personal preference: “I think the level of importance is completely up to each individual student. Some think it is important, others may not.”
This idea does in fact hold true for students at Norfolk High. Morgan Sidak, junior, has not gotten a class ring, but she believes the significance of one could allow for an individual to “represent their class with pride.” When asked if she thought that students were overlooking the value of class rings, she responded with “not really,” adding that “I can understand why it wouldn’t be a necessity.”
Senior Danessa Clinch agrees, claiming “most of my friends decided not to get a ring.” It is now a commonality amongst most juniors and seniors to remember high school in other ways besides a traditional class ring.
One NHS teacher who did not invest in a class ring is Mr. Tom Olson, psychology teacher. He has no regret in his decision not to purchase one, saying that “I’m not really sure if they were a ‘big deal’... I couldn’t even tell you how many of my classmates had one.” Olson believes that there has been a decline in school spirit over the last couple of decades, which has cut into the popularity of class rings: “Students are involved in so many other organizations outside of the school, I think it’s cut into their involvement.”
Though the demand for class rings may be dwindling, many of today’s teachers remember when every student in school seemed to own one. Mrs. Kathleen Timperley, English teacher, bought her class ring during her junior year in 1971. Timperley states that she would have felt left out of the tradition that came with getting one: “We exchanged rings with boyfriends and girlfriends when we ‘went steady.’” Believing modern technology to be the source of the decreasing desire for class rings, Timperley adds that “students today have thousands of photos and videos of themselves and their friends to commemorate high school days.”
Ultimately, the choice of whether or not to purchase a class ring is one that all high school students must make for themselves. Technology has become the go-to way of capturing memories, but a few may wish for something more sentimental like the personalized touch of these rings.
For more great articles written by students, see the February 2017 Panther Newspaper!
