Incoming freshmen at Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, face a first-day initiation that many teenagers consider truly horrifying: giving their mom, dad, grandparent, or guardian a goodbye kiss in front of a crowd of cheering seniors.
The older students surround each arriving car and hold the doors shut until the freshman publicly thanks the person who brought them with a peck on the cheek. It is awkward, loud, and embarrassing, which, according to the seniors, is exactly why it works.
The tradition began 26 years ago, when the class of 2001 decided to replace the school’s old freshman pranks with something kinder. What looks like a funny initiation for students often becomes an emotional milestone for their parents, especially those dropping off their first or last child.