According to a Call survey, 45 percent of students (137/303) said they would buy or have bought a class ring.

Near the end of first semester, juniors attended as- semblies with information regarding the purchase of class rings. The rings can be symbolic of high school achievement and school spirit.

Juniors ordering rings can customize them to a spe- cific size, shape, color and design. They have the op- tion to use their birth stone, to engrave their name or initials and even put symbols of sports they played or other activities they were involved in. Henry Hansen, senior, took full advantage of these opportunities.

“I have ‘Reuben’ on it because that’s my real name. I have the image of wrestling on it because that’s my sport, and on the other side I have the Kirkwood Pioneer symbol,” Hansen said.

In addition to these personal commemorations, Hansen was able to choose his ring’s color. He de- signed it to be silver with a red stone.

“I just got red because it was a Kirkwood color,” Hansen said. “I didn’t want my birthstone.”

According to Cathy McGrath, junior principal,about 40 percent of the senior class purchased rings their junior year. For some juniors though, cost was a major deterrent.

“I probably would not get one because they are really expensive and not a lot of people have them,” Carly Schmiedeskamp, junior said.

Some students, such as Brad Skeens, junior, plan on purchasing a ring because it is custom for the members of his family to get class rings. Skeens’ older brother and parents all purchased high school class rings.

“I will get one because it’s a tradition in my family,” Skeens said.

Other students, like Max Alander, are motivated by their family in a different way. According to Alander, his parents will require him to purchase a class ring.

“My sister had one so my parents will make me get one too,” Alander said.

KHS students can order their class rings through Herff Jones.

According to McGrath, juniors started the ring process Dec. 8 with an assembly during homeroom.