Under the bright stadium lights, cheering fans filling the air, high school seniors step onto the field one last time. But beyond the scores and spotlight, the handcrafted posters with vibrant memories and messages capture the heart of their high school journey, turning a simple sporting event into an emotional farewell. What about these colorful creations make them a cherished part of the high school experience?

For many Paly athletes, senior night is a significant milestone that commemorates their last home game on their Paly sports team. Oftentimes, seniors get posters to celebrate this important occasion. These posters help recognize the athlete’s contributions and dedication to the sport through a ceremony where fans, teammates and coaches acknowledge them during their final home game of the season. When honored, a teammate, friend or family member will hand them a homemade poster in memory of their high school career.

Allegedly originated in the mid-20th century, senior nights have been a long-standing tradition for high schools and colleges. However, senior night posters arrived later, with the first documented senior night posters at Paly in 2014.

As the tradition of senior nights continues to grow, many schools are incorporating a digital aspect to improve the celebration. These digital displays and videos are becoming a popular addition in the commemoration of the athlete and their final game.

Digital displays such as dynamic presentations can include highlights of the athlete’s career, messages from coaches and teammates and even clips of memorable games. This refinement not only integrates a modern twist to the ceremony but also provides a lasting digital keepsake for the athletes.

Senior night posters are more than just signs with photos and nice words. These posters hold years of memories and connections athletes have with their teammates and the sport. The result of countless wins and losses, team dinners and daily practices, senior night posters are emotionally invaluable and often mean more than they look.

Senior volleyball player Naama Green can attest to the meaningfulness of a senior night poster. Green was given a poster by her friends at the end of the fall season.

“It [Greens poster] shows the strength of our friendship because my [teammates] showed up for me and it just felt really good,” Green said. Green highlighted the difference in significance of receiving these gifts from separate people. “It’s support in two different ways, from your teammates they really know you as a player, but from your friends, they took time out of their day to make the poster and come to your game and they know you in a different way,” Green said.

Senior night posters can’t just be bought, oftentimes, they are created by family and friends of the athlete, who individualize the poster in priceless ways. However, in some sports, the teammates of the athlete are the ones who show their support and gratitude by making the poster.

In the case of senior Kinga Czajkowskya, her teammate in cross country, junior Amaya Bhadawaj, pushed her to improve, further strengthening their bond. Competing hard and always placing together, the two of them were called “one of Californias best duos” by Milesplit.

“We’ve actually been interviewed together a lot over the last season because we would finish together during a lot of top meets,” Czajkowska said. “It was great getting a poster from someone who’s been a constant figure in my workouts and meets throughout my highschool athletics career ­­— especially because she really pushed me to be a better athlete.”

These senior night posters have different meanings when they are given by different people, which can often change the sentimental value and significance of the poster. Senior and softball player Riannah Soliman made a poster for her teammate and friend Anabelen Yanez (‘24) last year. According to Soliman, making the poster was time consuming but ultimately rewarding in the end.

“It took me around two-and-a-half hours to make, [but] it was so worth it because Anabelen really liked it,” Soliman said.

Senior Emma Lee is well versed in making senior night posters. After preparing three posters, she has streamlined the process and become a pro, compiling  many different materials to make the poster.

“[The posters] take about an hour. I think they’re very worth the time spent, especially seeing their reaction and how happy the small gesture makes someone feel,” Lee said. “I used a white poster, markers, glitter, and printed-out pictures. Most of the material was either from Michaels or I had the material at home already from making past prom posters.”

In an effort to come up with creative ideas for the posters, Lee spends time browsing through many different websites. By exploring different sources of inspiration, Lee hopes to find the perfect addition that will resonate on a deeper level.

“I came up with inspiration from Pinterest and pictures of other senior night posters I’ve seen on Instagram,” Lee said. “The posters were personal — I put the name of my friend or a phrase using their name, funny pictures of us together, something that represented their sport, and their jersey number.”

Ultimately, in the case of these senior athletes, whether the kind of senior night poster is digital or physical, the commemoration of a senior athlete’s last moment in their sport is an unforgettable experience. The posters have flourished since their introduction in 2014, and have not only served as a reminder of the dedication, teamwork, and memories these athletes have created throughout their Paly experience, but they are a celebration of everything these players have given and gained along the way.