Graduation day is one of those milestone moments that we’ve all been looking forward to. It’s the peak of years of hard work, late-night study sessions, and unforgettable memories. But here at Alisal there’s one tradition that seems to overshadow our personal celebration: the rule against decorating our graduation caps.
For as long as anyone can remember, our school has held a formal graduation ceremony where everyone wears the same plain caps and gowns. This includes, no leis or cap decorations or any other ornamentation, other than school approved sashes or cords.
Principal Christina Perez is a firm believer in the traditional ceremony. “Your parents or your family is here. We have a very family, formal traditional graduation where your parents get that very nice picture for the living room,” she said.
English teacher Jane Albano, who has been with Alisal since it opened, believes in maintaining the tradition of a formal ceremony. She prefers that everyone wear the same caps and tassels, emphasizing uniformity and tradition.
However, we’re not the only school to demand conformity at the graduation ceremony. I contacted the other schools and I found that most of them are sticking to the district’s rules.
Over at Salinas High School, Principal Hugo Mariscal explained that they don’t allow any cap decorations unless it’s for religious reasons.
At Rancho San Juan, Activities Director Sarah Burkhart said they strictly enforce the district’s memo that says no cap decorations allowed. She even walks through the line of seniors to make sure everyone’s following the rules: “Per the Salinas Union High School District guidelines – students at Rancho San Juan HS are not allowed to decorate their caps. The district sends us a memo that we are to also enforce that they not wear more than one stole, and only particular stoles are allowed such as NHS, CSE and community service.”
At Everett Alvarez High School, Assistant Principal Jer Sor said he worked at a school where they did allow cap decorations, but only if they were respectful. But now, he says, “In the SUHSD, grad cap decorations are not allowed. Our graduating seniors and their parents have been well informed via emails, all-out calls, and letters.”
There was no response from North Salinas about whether seniors are allowed to decorate their graduation caps. However, I found a video from last year (2024) on YouTube showing some of their graduation where students had decorated caps.
While I understand the importance of tradition, I can’t help but feel that we’re missing out on an opportunity to be allowed to express ourselves.
We did an informal survey of 130 seniors and 127 of them would like to decorate their caps. The top reason? Making the ceremony more memorable. As Itzel Garcia-Silva put it, “Because it is a special date.” We want to look back on this day and see a reflection of who we are as individuals, not just as a sea of identical caps and gowns. Plus, let’s be honest—decorated caps would make for some amazing photos.
Some might argue that allowing cap decorations could lead to chaos or inappropriate messages. But there are ways to address these concerns. Just like we submit senior quotes for approval, we could do the same with cap designs.
During practice week, students could present their ideas for review, ensuring everything stays respectful and appropriate. There can also be a due date to store caps and be given back the day of graduation to guarantee students don’t make changes on the designs of the decoration already made. If we can follow guidelines for prom attire and senior activities, why not for cap decorations?
Our caps could serve as a canvas to thank our families, recognize future plans, or honor loved ones. They could help our families spot us in the crowd or simply allow us to stand out during this significant milestone. Diego A. Armando Franco Cruz made a solid point: “I would like to be able to decorate my cap because I’m paying for it, and it’s no threat nor disrespectful to decorate your cap appropriately.”
In the end, it’s about finding a balance between tradition and self-expression. Allowing us to personalize our caps wouldn’t take away from the ceremony’s elegance; it would add a layer of personal significance to an already special day.
So here’s hoping that future classes will have the chance to break free from tradition and let their creativity shine. After all, graduation is a celebration of both our collective achievements and our individual stories.
