By: Natalia Cruz

   Planes, palm trees, leis, and an air of mischief swept across campus on a recent Friday morning as Tempe Prep’s Class of 2025 turned the school into a full-blown “getaway.” For one day, the courtyard became an island oasis, the lockers became a prankster’s canvas, and the seniors delivered on what has become one of the school’s most beloved and anticipated traditions: Senior Prank Day.

   With creativity, humor, and just a touch of chaos, the seniors went all out this year. The day kicked off with intentionally awful parking jobs, cars comically askew across multiple spaces, diagonally crammed into corners, or tucked into spots just barely big enough. The faculty body was greeted by a cheery “flight attendant” outside the office and gate entrances, offering leis and warm welcomes aboard “Flight TPA2025.”

   A highlight of the day was the iconic “Deceased Wall,” a respectful but humorous tribute to seniors who had “perished” over the years. Alongside it, the island pit, brought vacation vibes to the courtyard. Pictures of the teachers (that were dug up from who knows where) offered comedic spice for the teachers. They saw pictures of themselves they were definitely not expecting on campus!

   In classic senior style, goodies were shared with the community: popcorn, leis, and candy handouts brought smiles across grade levels. And of course, the longtime TPA tradition of saran-wrapping the lockers made a strong return, much to the amusement (and minor inconvenience) of those trying to retrieve their books.

   Behind the scenes, some pranks took a bit more coordination, like timing the faculty office “greeting crew,” planning the giveaways, or making sure the parking lot chaos stayed safe and respectful.

   But perhaps the most important part? The cleanup. After every prank, no matter how impressive, seniors cleaned: scrubbing chalk, unsticking saran wrap, and restoring the campus to normal. Because at TPA, we prank hard, but we clean up harder.

   The Class of 2025 pulled off a Senior Prank Day that was clever, funny, and full of heart–leaving behind nothing but memories and a bit of popcorn in the grass.