Senior superlatives traditionally include “most likely to succeed,” “cutest couple,” “best dressed,” “class clown” and “most likely to be president.”  These are considered by many to be “classic” superlatives. However, senior superlatives can be a controversial topic because only a few students receive superlatives, which may lead to some students feeling excluded. Several students have expressed negative opinions, voicing various reasons why senior superlatives are unfair and should be removed from the yearbook. It can seem that one person is more special or more likely to do something than everyone else, which could potentially bring the self-esteem levels of students down. People who are given superlatives tend to already be recognized by their class, so it never really gives some of the more unrecognized students a chance to be noticed.

Nonetheless, senior superlatives are a traditional part of the yearbook at many high schools, including WJ. Taking away superlatives in the yearbook would be taking away a symbolic part of a high school experience. Our parents had superlatives in their high school yearbooks, removing them would be disrupting the conventional senior experience. Superlatives give people something to hold on to after high school ends. It is a fond memory for people who received superlatives, and helps those who didn’t to remember their high school years. Yearbooks are meant to help remember school by recognizing the people who had made a difference in their peers’ lives. Senior superlatives are important for students, and are all in good fun.