On May 14, 40 to 50 seniors participated in various pranks, including a water balloon fight, a motorcade, and a stampede through the halls.

The seniors had hidden stashes of water balloons all over the courtyard, but they were quickly discovered by the custodial staff. When a water fight began in the hallway near the library, administrators directed them outdoors and it was broken up quickly.

The main event of the prank took place in the parking lot, where seniors hung out of their cars and did laps around the school at a speed of roughly 20-30 mph.

The administration was concerned about the safety of students in the cars.

“At the end of the day, if one of those kids fell out of a Jeep, that would bring the senior year to a screeching halt,” said Mr. Franzis, the vice-principal of the senior class.

However, Franzis could appreciate why the prank happened.

“I understand the spirit it was done in. The students were very receptive when we told them to stop circling the school. They did not push it.”

Franzis did not seem at all upset at the Senior class, calling the prank “tame.”

Franzis approves of pranks as long as they are imaginative and safe, like last years prank when the senior class decided to cover everything in their assistant principal’s office with tin foil.

“That prank was reasonable and nobody got hurt. I’ve seen some poorly thought out, dangerous senior pranks in my 12 years here.”

In his second year at Staples, seniors decided to release rats and crickets in the cafeteria during lunch, causing the death of animals and chaos in the school.

“I ended up pulling the fire alarm,” Franzis said.

Franzis holds the current senior class in much higher regard.

“This is the best senior class, behavior wise, I’ve ever worked with.”

While the administration was content with the way the prank turned out, members of the student body, who are used to wild actions this time of year, were left disappointed.

Brandon Carson ’11, was underwhelmed. “They didn’t have the spirit of the prank. Who did they fool?”

“I wish the water balloons had worked better,” said Will Hardy ’10, who was let down by the jokes this year. “I thought the running around was kind of funny, though.”

Stephanie Nussbaum ’11 was much more critical.

“I thought it was unorganized, not that funny, and overall a disappointment,” Nussbaum said. “It will be much better next year.”

Seniors left for internships on the Monday after the pranks took place. None of the students have been punished for their actions.