Seniors Empty Their Wallets for old Fees as Graduation Nears

Seniors+search+for+their+missing+books+and+pay+off+their+remaining+fines+before+graduation.

Courtney Bawden

Seniors search for their missing books and pay off their remaining fines before graduation.

It’s the end of the school year, and that means this year’s seniors only have a short amount of time to get all of their fines paid off at the last minute, because otherwise they will not be permitted to graduate.
Mainly these fines come from basic class fees or lunch fees. Depending on how often students pay these fees, they could range from just a couple dollars to a few hundred dollars.
Senior at Sedro-Woolley High School, Sonasi Lindbloom has racked up a fee that he is left to pay.
“The reason I didn’t pay my fines earlier is because I didn’t have the money at the time,’’ said Lindbloom. “I think it is fair to have them, but I just don’t like them.”
Some classes at SWHS require that students pay a baseline fee in order for students to participate in projects or labs.
“The shop classes mainly, and lunch, and plus a couple notebooks from classes, and books I had checked out for a class, but forgot to turn back in, and is now affecting me to graduate, but I got it handled. I can pay the fees,” said Lindbloom.
Based on Lindloom’s personal experience with school fines, it shows that the fines can be an inconvenience to those who may not have the funds to pay for them, but it’s understandable because the school has to fund their programs.
“The payment methods available are cash, check, and money order and there has been some talk about setting up a debit and credit payment system next year,” said ASB Secretary Nita Hodgens.