After their last day of school Tuesday, Calvary Lutheran High School seniors stayed at the school all night to surprise the students and staff with breakfast Wednesday morning.
After taking their final exams Tuesday, almost all 34 seniors went back to the school at about 10:30 p.m. Some camped out in tents, and most stayed up all night watching movies on a projector, listening to music and playing games like cornhole, kickball, tag and volleyball.
On Wednesday morning, the seniors made pancakes, bacon and eggs on a grill a student brought from home and served breakfast to students and staff as they were coming to school. Students sat in lawn chairs and enjoyed the food and each other's company as they reminisced and talked about how much they'll miss everyone.
"I thought it was really cool," senior Morgan Allen said. "It wasn't really a senior prank; it was more of a good deed that we did."
Senior Grant Going, who played a large part in planning the event, said a group of seniors came up with the idea by brainstorming together, and students volunteered to bring snacks for the night and breakfast for the morning.
"It was really cool how our whole class came together to actually be able to pull this off," Going said. "A lot of effort went into it."
Going said he enjoys the family feel of the school community and the relationships there. This event was a way to savor that one last time before graduation.
Principal Erich Ahlers, the first one to arrive at the school Wednesday morning, had the best reaction, Going said. The students were nervous about what Ahlers would think when he found out they were there all night, but he thought it was funny and had a huge smile on his face, Thompson said.
"Everybody was really happy to see us and happy that we made breakfast for them," she said.
Allen said he could tell Ahlers was shocked to see them.
"He had the biggest smile on his face I think I've ever seen him have," he said.
Ahlers said he appreciated the thoughtful breakfast.
"They just loved the family atmosphere in the school, and that's one thing they wanted to give back," he said. "It was really nice, and I was surprised."
