Showing their colors: RRHS seniors paint parking spots

Rio Rancho High School seniors got to paint their personal parking spots last week in celebration of the dawning of their senior year at RRHS.

“Seniors have earned the right to a reserved parking space in the senior lot, and it’s an opportunity for them to literally make their mark on our campus,” activities director Christopher Salas said. “Hopefully, it's an incentive to get to senior year. And when you get here, it’s a way to celebrate and kick off the year because graduation is just around the corner.”

The paint party at RRHS ran from 7 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. July 25-26.

“I’m doing a rodeo theme. Growing up, I definitely listened to a lot of country music, so it's definitely something to honor how I grew up,” said Serenity Luna, senior class vice president. “It’s a fun experience for sure, expressing who we are as people, and how much we have grown.”

This is a newer tradition for RRHS, starting three years ago, and all students have until July 31 to complete their spots.

“It is a parking spot, so I figured why not put a license plate? And I also put some flowers on it. I’m an Islander, so I put hibiscus flowers to honor that,” student body secretary Madison Pitts said. “I think this is a great experience for us seniors before we graduate and experience the real world.”

Salas got the idea of painting parking spots from a professional development seminar in California. Students pay for the reserved parking spot, and then the money goes to PBIS (Positive Behaviors Intervention and Support). Last year, they used some of the funding to put on the Senior Sunset, which included games and refreshments.

Students brought out family members, set up tents, blasted music and turned their respective parking spots into personal mementos.

“It’s really cool that we get to do this since, I know, a lot of high schools don't. It lets us be creative, show our creativity, and it's another event that we have together with our fellow seniors,” senior Eric Valerio said.

Valerio’s parking spot was Hollywood star themed. He is also the lieutenant governor of the RRHS Key Club.

Some of the painted parking spots included SpongeBob memes, Pokeballs, Hello Kitty, nods to the new Charlie XCX album, and three neighboring spots that each displayed a different Powerpuff Girls.

“Every year it's amazing to see the creativity and how trends change," said Salas. "I think my favorite one at the moment is the Brat one, which is a tribute to the new Charlie XCX album. Last year a lot of Taylor Swift; this year a lot of Charlie XCX.”

The next event for RRHS seniors is the Senior Sunset at 6:10 a.m. Aug. 6 on the track.