Sikeston High School hosts Senior Decision Day

SIKESTON — Sikeston High School’s graduating seniors are excited as they prepare for their future, and once again this year they celebrated their impending graduation with a “decision day.”

Sikeston High School Seniors Decision Day took place early Friday, May 10 in the high school cafeteria.

Decision Day is a day set aside to announce future plans after high school. Students dress in a theme for their next adventure, whether they are entering the workforce or attending college or trade school.

Sikeston High School College Adviser Taneshia Pulley, right, sorts through penants for senior photo opportunities Friday, May 10 during decision day. (Leonna Heuring/Standard Democrat)

Sikeston High School College Adviser Taneshia Pulley, right, sorts through penants for senior photo opportunities Friday, May 10 during decision day. (Leonna Heuring/Standard Democrat)

Sikeston High School College Adviser Taneshia Pulley saidon the last day of school, which was Friday, students took their finals, turned in their iPads and a Decision Day was held to honor the seniors.

“Decision Day here at Sikeston is really just a big celebration on the last day of school for the seniors,” Pulley said. 

According to Pulley, the school contributes to Decision Day, but it is also supported by RootED Missouri.

Members of Sikeston High School’s class of 2024 who will be attending Mississippi State University pose together for a photo during Senior Decision Day Friday, May 10 in the cafeteria at Sikeston High School. (Leonna Heuring/Standard Democrat)

Members of Sikeston High School’s class of 2024 who will be attending Mississippi State University pose together for a photo during Senior Decision Day Friday, May 10 in the cafeteria at Sikeston High School. (Leonna Heuring/Standard Democrat)

RootED Missouri is a program that places college and career advisors in rural schools to provide students with the resources they need to make informed decisions about their future.

According to Pulley, RootED contributed to a portion of the 2024 Sikeston Senior Decision Day.

“We just want to give the students giveaways and allow the students to celebrate,” Pulley said.

Sikeston Decision Day provided the 2024 Seniors with the opportunity to celebrate their final hour of high school with prizes, food, snacks, games and other activities.

Pulley said Sikeston High School has held a Decision Day for the past eight years, and she is currently in her fifth year there.

According to Pulley, each senior was able to announce their college or other educational plans at the decision day event.

Seniors announced whether they were attending a four-year school, a two-year school, technical school or entering the military or workforce.

There was an area also where the seniors can take pictures and announce where they are going after high school, Pulley said. 

“For me, the decision day is a day focused strictly on the seniors,” Pulley said. “It’s a time for celebrating these seniors and all their accomplishments and where they are going after high school.”

Pulley explained that decision day is also a day to celebrate not only their hard work over the past school year, but also their hard work over the previous 12 years of schooling. Pulley said Decision Day is a day for seniors to be welcomed into a new chapter of their lives.

“Some students may never get a celebration so Decision Day is just super important because it allows for each senior to be celebrated,” Pulley said. “It’s important for those students to feel like they are accomplishing one of the biggest parts of their lives.”