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Senior Walk is Tech grad sendoff

HOUGHTON – Senior Walk has been a tradition among graduating Michigan Tech seniors for decades and will take place again on Friday.

Over the years, however, the once-raucous event has calmed down quite a bit, according to Lt. Nick Roberts of the Houghton Police Department.

“When Tech switched from trimesters to semesters a number of years ago, what that did is they graduate a month earlier now,” Roberts said. “So, Senior Walk used to be in May, when it’s nice out, warmer out, we’d get more people out. Well, now it’s in April. We could have snow storms or rain, so the weather can hinder it. Since that happened, Senior Walk has been calmer.”

While the Houghton PD beefs up its shift a bit for Senior Walk, Roberts says the officers enjoy the event.

“We get to interact with the seniors that are leaving our area for their future careers, and it’s one last send-off for both them and us,” Roberts said.

While the walk has toned down over the years, there still are a few incidents.

“Unfortunately, we do get some urinating in publics, disorderly conducts; sometimes people walking into the wrong homes, or breaking into homes,” Roberts said, “so we have to watch out for the over-abuse of alcohol.”

The overall attitude of the police department is positive.

“It’s not that we don’t want them celebrating their senior year, we just want them to be responsible. The downtown enjoys it, our officers enjoy coming out.”

So, if there is a question of how the Houghton Police Department feels toward the traditional Senior Walk, Roberts offers a philosophical response.

“No, we don’t mind Senior Walk,” he said. “They have fun. It’s the last hurrah before they go out into the real world to get their jobs and everything, so we’re there to protect them, protect the community, making sure everything goes well.”

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