First-day sunrise inspires seniors’ final year of learning

August 27, 2025

_{At their Senior Sunrise event, Thornapple Kellogg High School seniors share what they were most looking forward to in the year ahead}

Thornapple Kellogg — The sunrise colored the sky and the rain held off for the class of 2026’s Senior Sunrise celebration at Thornapple Kellogg High School on Monday morning.

On their last first day of high school, several students shared with School News Network about what they were most looking forward to learning this year, and their favorite subjects in school.

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Alexis Stark

Alexis Stark is a reporter covering Byron Center, Caledonia, Godfrey-Lee, Kenowa Hills and Thornapple Kellogg. She grew up in metro Detroit and her journalism journey brought her west to Grand Rapids via Michigan State University where she covered features and campus news for The State News. She also co-authored three 100-question guides to increase understanding and awareness of various human identities, through the MSU School of Journalism. Following graduation, she worked as a beat reporter for The Ann Arbor News, covering stories on education, community, prison arts and poetry, before finding her calling in education reporting and landing at SNN. Alexis is also the author of a poetry chapbook, “Learning to Sleep in the Middle of the Bed.”