Neosho's Senior Hill painting tradition continues

NEOSHO, Mo. — It’s one of the oldest and most colorful high school traditions in the Four States, and even a few rain drops didn’t stop it from taking place.

No senior year in Neosho is complete without the painting of Hill Street, a time honored, school sanctioned tradition dating back to the late 1970’s.

The event was and always held in the evening until 1983, when rain forced the event until the following morning, and it’s been held at that time ever since. Each of the students must submit their designs in advance, so school officials have the opportunity to approve them before the first brush strokes take place.

“I’m going to do Homer Simpson wearing a graduate cap, I think that will fit my personality pretty well,” said Zane Ornelas, Neosho H.S. Senior.

“I’m going to paint a finish line hinting that I’m finished with high school, finished with school in general,” said Izec Anderson, Neosho H.S. Senior.

“I painted this hill 20 years ago with his dad and it was a lot of fun, he looks exactly like I did. They’ve already had paint wars. We ran around, we threw paint on each other, we took lots of pictures, yeah it was fun,” said Amber Anderson, Former Graduate.

“Families are out here, it’s our last time to do something fun with one and other so I just think it’s a wonderful experience overall,” said Brian Recinos, Neosho H.S. Senior.

Even the pandemic didn’t stop the tradition from taking place each of the last two-years.

Even after all the paint has dried, school officials check and make sure nothing inappropriate was added to the original designs.

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