It’s been a years-long tradition for graduating seniors to leave their mark on the walls of Niles West, each class adding their personal touch to the school’s history by leaving colorful painted handprints on walls in the Student Commons and cafeteria. Recently, administrators have decided to paint over the handprints in the Student Commons as part of a plan to refresh the space.

Director of Student Activities Caitlin Lucci has been working with Assistant Principal for Student Operations Steven Parnther and Principal Jeremy Christian to plan the renovations.

“Mr. Christian and I have had several conversations about refreshing the space, making it a warm, welcoming, and flexible space because it’s used for a lot of different things. It’s also really important for me that I respect traditions, and the history of West that was in place before I got here, so I’m definitely not trying to change what’s important,” Lucci said.

Handprints have traditionally been a part of a Dance Marathon fundraiser. The seniors, armed with paint, gathered near the end of the school year, paid $5 to dip their palms into an array of colors and leave their mark on the school. Christian and Lucci have decided to open up the tradition to the entire senior class without a fee so that more students can participate.

“It’s an issue of equity. If you’re going to have this rite of passage, it needs to be open to all. It is in the interest of equitable practices, and also having flexible space that can be used for a variety of situations and be something that we’re proud of. Our plan is, after talking with senior cabinet, to shift the way that seniors leave their mark,” Lucci said.

There are handprints dating back decades that alumni can see when they visit the school. PAR Consulting Teacher and former Senior Cabinet sponsor Evelyn Lauer predicts that alumni visiting the school will be unhappy with the change.

“Alumni are going to be upset about it when they come back to the school for reunions; I remember old assistant principals saying ‘take me to where the handprints are.’ They wanted to see that, it was like a memory. People will think their history is being erased,” Lauer said.

The handprints are set to be painted over during winter break. The administration plans to move the vending machines into the Student Commons and invite students to make their mark in the hallway between the Student Commons and the cafeteria during second semester so that they can see their names before they graduate. The hallway will be named “Senior Alley.”

“What we want to do is have students take one brick [in the hallway between the Student Commons and cafeteria], and write their name in whatever language they’d like,” Christian said.

“It will be refreshed every year for each senior class,” Lucci said. This will make space in the school for graduating seniors of that year because at some point, the walls will run out of space. This was an issue the handprint tradition was already experiencing.

Staff and alumni are raising concerns about the plan.

“It was a great way to end the year. It was always an upbeat, exciting atmosphere. It was a fun way for seniors to end the year. If we want to move towards that new tradition, I think it’s awesome, however, erasing the traditions of the past… is it worth that?” Lauer said.

Alumni who heard the plans were also hesitant.

“I understand that there may be a lack of space and changes that may need to be made. However, if alums desire to come back and visit Niles West, what kind of message does this give to them and the stories they may want to reminisce from Niles West?” alumni Despina Baxevanakis said.

“Everyone paid $5 for those handprints. We all waited an hour after school just to have our handprints up there. I’m shocked,” alumni Mustafa Al-Diraj said.

There was a similar controversy a few years ago involving the removal of a mural by door 1A, which was a senior class gift.

“I would imagine that as you make a move–and Principal Christian, he is the leader of the building, he wants to create student voice on the walls–as an administrative team, we have to understand how important this is. We have to get voices involved. Do most students think ‘ah yeah, paint over it’ or is it ‘no, this is important to us, it’s part of Niles West’s identity?'” Assistant Principal of Student Services Antwan Babakhani said.

Current students are wondering what this will mean for them.

“I think it’s kind of sad because people wanted to have themselves memorialized in some way,” senior Summer de la Cruz said.

“The handprints gave us a way to honor alumni. I’ve always wanted to do them when I become a senior, so it’ll be sad if we end the tradition of seniors doing the handprints,” sophomore Kent Sybico said.

“I think the handprints are actually a good part of the commons because it shows us the long history of students before us. I’m a freshman and I am excited for the day where we can have some part of us in this school. Yeah, sure, it’s something that younger kids do, too, but so what? It brings the commons more color instead of making it look like a boring, blank, space,” freshman Maha Sabri said.

There have been some ideas of preserving the handprints by either digitally archiving it, or framing it. The renovations are set to begin during winter break.