With the arrival of spring comes the annual May Day celebration at West Linn. A tradition that will turn 100 next year, May Day is a performance put on by students as a showcase of student talent. At the center of the celebration is the May Court, a group of 20 seniors selected through an application process, including a student body vote. From preparing group dance to even performing individual acts, the members of the court have had their hands full during these past few months.

“I’m both excited and nervous,” Prince Harry Winsper, senior, said. “I’m not into performances usually, but I’m excited to be part of such a special West Linn tradition.”

Students on May Court are leaders and representatives of their community. For each student on the court, there is an individual reason for wanting to be apart of this tradition. For Princess Peyton Todd, senior, being on May Court goes back to her love for art.

“I love how May Day is so focused on celebrating the arts at the school and the students themselves,” Todd said. “I’m super involved in the arts program and thought this would be so awesome to finish my senior year with.”

During the couple of months between being selected for the court and the actual performance, the court has spent at least three hours a week learning the group dance, as well as practicing the bow and curtsy the court does on entrance. For some court members, like Princess Hope Scott, senior, getting these dances as perfect as possible has been the hardest part of the preparation process.

“The most difficult part of preparation I believe has just been perfecting the dances and making them as beautiful as possible,” Scott said. “But Ms. Annie [Kaiser] and our choreographer Christine have both been very helpful in the preparation process, in staying after practices and working hard to make things perfect.”

The May Day tradition will turn 100 years old next year, having been celebrated since the founding WLHS. As a place for students to showcase their talents as well as take part in one of WLHS’ oldest traditions, May Day is something at the heart of the West Linn community.

“I think May Day is an important tradition is because May Day has been celebrated by West Linn High school for many years,” Princess Devyn Jacobson, senior, said. “It has become a very significant way for the whole school to come together.”

Students shouldn’t just feel obligated to come to the performance or attend May Day to simply get out of class, according to some members of the court. For Prince Cole Goodheart, senior, he wants students to appreciate the hard work and dedication that goes into putting on such an elaborate show.

“I want students to realize that May Day isn’t just a thing we do, but that it’s more than that,” Goodheart said. “That it’s an accumulation of hard work and dedication to a program that has been around for almost 100 years.”

As the performance gets closer, the court continues to put the finishing touches on their part in the production, and ASB along with other volunteers work hard to set up the gym to transform it into the ultimate “Cirque du May Day,” the 2019 theme of the event. The court is eager to show off what they have been working on for the past months and be a part of a great experience, according to Princess Bella Deeb, senior.

“The 2019 May Day court has been very committed to our practices over the past couple of months,” Deeb said. “I am looking forward to showcasing our dances and just being in the moment to create wonderful memories with everyone.”

The performance will be held on Friday at 1:30 and 7:30 in the Main Gym. Here is the full list of the 2019 May Court members:

Princess Bella Deeb and Prince Graham Yotsuya

Princess Abbi Nelson and Prince Adam Beyer

Princess Peyton Todd and Prince Harry Winsper

Princess Liv Roane and Prince Jonathan Kelly

Princess Aubrey Wagy and Prince Sean Harman

Princess Devyn Jacobson and Prince Mack Castaneda

Princess Hope Scott and Prince Haden Misra

Princess Olivia Reynolds and Prince Cole Goodheart

Princess Faith Varga and Prince Cade Knutson

Princess Ashley Hayter and Prince Cormac Duffy