All 2024-25 senior leaders and advisers pose for a photo during the annual picnic.
At Utica, the Senior Sophomore Program (SSP) is a staple for newcomers and seasoned professionals. The club is an opportunity for sophomores to eat, play games, and connect with others. Seniors, on the other hand, apply to the program and are bound to it for their last year. The club meets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during all lunches.
The role of a senior leader is to welcome sophomores with open arms. Charisma and an outgoing personality are key characteristics they all show. Over the course of the school year, their job is to take their SSP group and make them a family.
The SSP senior leaders and advisers get ready for the Utica Homecoming Parade. (@utica_ssp on Instagram)
“I went to SSP as a sophomore and it made me a lot more social,” senior Kyrollos Youssef said. “I would not be able to talk to people the way I do now without SSP, I was really quiet.”
The social experience from SSP is great for Utica students. The feel-good energy in every SSP classroom is immense. Laughs, screams, and talking can be heard throughout the halls. It’s these experiences that inspire seniors to take on the leader role.
“Going to SSP my first year made me way more confident,” senior Christian Dib said. It gave me a lot of good friends. I want the current sophomores to get the same out of it.”
Members of SSP enjoy fun outdoor games during the picnic. (Tammy Hilliard)
A huge part of the program is pulling sophomores out of their shell. This involves games and activities during lunchtime. There are fan favorites as well as one-off gems. The intent is for SSP to be a safe space where everyone can express themselves through team building.
“I had a lot of fun with SSP my sophomore year,” senior Brooklyn LeMerise said. “I applied because I wanted to make sure the sophomores this year had the same, good experience that I did.”
Branched off of those games is the annual SSP Picnic. This year, it took place during fourth and fifth hour on May 7th, 2025. Senior leaders and sophomores who stayed with the club for most of the year skipped classes to participate. Food and games were set up outside for the group.
“We had a lot of work planning the picnic. Teachers had to give up study time during AP season. A lot of us had to buy stuff. We spent money on the pizzas and the shirts,” Youssef said. “All the sophomores did their part; they brought in stuff. So, it was definitely a lot of effort. But, in the end, it was worth it.”
Each lunch has different senior leaders, advisers, and sophomores. The individual groups showed off their team colors with T-shirts and sweet or salty snacks.
The ‘A’ Lunch and ‘B’ Lunch groups face off in a heated game of tug of war. (Tammy Hilliard)
“I attended the picnic as a sophomore, and I want to say it was more fun being a senior,” LeMerise said. “You kind of get to plan all of it. You get to think, oh, I feel like they’re going to have fun with these games. That sort of thing.”
“Link-Tag”, tug of war, volleyball, and other fun, outdoorsy games were played at the picnic. For the first time, all three lunch groups were able to interact and play these games together. It was an outstanding culmination for a successful year of SSP.
The 2024-25 SSP program had its last day on May 21st, 2025. Two days before the seniors’ final day at Utica, each lunch celebrated the year they’ve made it through: together.
Paige Brinkey is a sophomore, and this is her first year in newspaper. She is the social media editor for Arrow and runs the team’s accounts across all platforms (@uhsarrow). Paige is also a varsity swimmer and tennis player for Utica, as well as a member of student council. She loves her cats, spacing out to some good tunes in the car, and losing her voice at swim meets. Paige has always had a love for journalism and educating both herself and others on what’s important. She is thrilled to be writing for Arrow and can’t wait to continue in the upcoming years!
