With the final quarter of the 2025-26 school year upon us, and summer right ahead, students have a lot to think about in the next few months. For seniors, the biggest moment of their high school career is vastly approaching… graduation. For such a big event, the seniors have a lot to prepare for, one of them being their attire for the special occasion: caps and gowns.
For years, Coronado graduates have rocked the bright red cap and gown set as they walk the graduation stage. But for the first time ever, Coronado is rolling out a new, and somewhat controversial, color: gold (but it’s really just yellow).
Graduating seniors with a cumulative average GPA, from 9th-11th grade plus 1st semester of 12th, of 3.75 or higher will be given yellow caps and gowns at graduation instead of the traditional red.
Mrs. Doyle, senior class counselor, tells us that “the cap and gown distinction came from the district level” and some of the other D11 high schools are also participating in the change. It is not a decision that came directly from Coronado, so some of our own staff and students question the choice.
The biggest reasoning against the new cap and gowns is the fact that not everyone will have them. Mrs. Doyle claims that “it is better for us to be united in one color.” And even though it is recognizing Coronado’s high academic performing seniors, there could have been other ways to show apprecation such as chords or hoods like they do for college graduation. But according to the counseling department, the main reason these were not an option was because of the cost.
Taytum Pinyerd, Class of 2026, is not excited about change that has sprung up in her senior year: “Some of us have been looking forward to the red cap and gown since elementary school… and on top of it all the cap and gown color is not that pretty.” Not only is the yellow different from what we know, but most would say that it’s definitely not as flattering as the bright crimson we’ve seen the graduates before us wear.
Seniors will pick up their cap and gowns in the auditorium lobby after the senior meeting on Monday, April 27th, during Future Ready. Also, if you have a red cap/gown passed down from a sibling but need the new gold ones, you can get more information on how to exchange it with Jostens (the yearbook and memorabilia company).
No matter what, all of Coronado is excited to celebrate all of the senior class on their accomplishments throughout these amazing (but long) 4 years. We will get to see the red and gold wave of students at graduation on May 20th at 9 a.m. at Ed Robson Arena. Congrats Class of 2026!
