Some students wonder if class rings/jackets are still popular because not many of them have made plans to purchase them. The purchasing of class rings and jackets was a trend many years ago, but students today wonder if those items are still popular.

  The Edgewood High School administration wants to keep the tradition of class rings and varsity jackets if they still can. What’s holding people back from buying a class ring is the prices, as they can range from $315 to $900 for just one ring because they are made of real gold or silver. 

   Sophomore Jeida McGee states, “I definitely think it is special because it is a class ring and it’s something that my grandmother still talks about,” says Jeida. She also states, ”I feel like it is more of a traditional thing but it doesn’t hold as much importance as it used to”. Schools today try to sell them to the students so they could have them for keepsakes or just a memory when they get out of high school. “I think before graduating, it’s a ‘here’s your gift for getting through it,” says Jeida. She thinks if students purchase an item like this before graduation then it wouldn’t be as memorable as it would be towards graduation. “I think that times have changed and there’s less importance of graduating. But many people go into college, they don’t go straight into working,” says Jeida.

   In the middle of October, sophomores had an assembly specifically for class jewelry. These items are all made by Jostens, which is a company that makes memorabilia items and offers schools the opportunity for their students to purchase any item that they sell. Those items include class jewelry, yearbooks, letter jackets, or any graduation items for seniors. The packet that is given to sophomores contains mostly jewelry, including rings, necklaces, and bracelets. The most common purchase is the class ring, which is customizable. A really cool opportunity that Jostens gives you is to customize your ring however you like it. Students can change the style, metal, color, and gemstone of their ring, and also include their name or symbols for different extracurriculars. If Jeida were to buy a ring, she has some ideas in mind for how she would customize her ring. “I would definitely include music of some sort, and my birthstone,” states Jeida. Jeida is in Choraliers so she would like to show people that she really enjoys music and being a part of that community.