Painting senior parking spots has long been a part of Rio culture and is a fun way for seniors to express themselves. Painting parking spot is the main fundraiser for each senior class, it provides funds for graduation night, senior barbecue, and a variety of senior events. However, the school plans to discontinue this tradition in the next few years for equity reasons.
“They only impact those that can afford to pay for spots, and there are only a limited amount,” principal Cliff Kelly said.
The limited number of parking spots at Rio has also led to an influx of neighborhood parking when certain spots are reserved, another reason the San Juan Unified School District and the school are considering ending customized spots.Kelly had several ideas on what could be done to mitigate the loss of money if the tradition ends.
“Maybe we could hold a senior fair or carnival,” he said. “It would be more inclusive and it could raise even more money because of how many more people could attend.”
Many current students at Rio weren’t very happy when they heard rumors of the decision
“I understand that it is an issue at our school. However, I feel like it would be more beneficial to find a way to continue instead of scrapping the tradition all together. It’s a tradition that brings school pride and kicks off Senior year in a fun, exciting way. It is something that many students have looked forward to since freshman year.” Junior Morgan Reed said.
The decision on whether the tradition at Rio of painting senior parking spots will come to an end is not official yet but many students have become more vocal around campus on their stance.