Rochester Community Schools seniors gathered on a football field at dawn Friday, Aug. 28, to watch the sun come up on their final year of high school.

The senior sunrise is a district tradition that pairs with a senior sunset held before graduation, giving the Class of 2027 a shared start and finish to their last year together.

At Stoney Creek High School, the event took place on the football field, according to the district calendar. Rochester High School confirmed its seniors also participated. The school's Facebook page told students they could check their first senior event off the list.

Photos shared by Rochester Community Schools on X showed students holding a decorated frame reading "Senior Sunrise 2027." Another image captured a group of students and adults on the field holding boxes of donuts.

The district said the sunrise marks the beginning of the students' final high school year and that the senior sunset will follow before graduation. No date for the sunset has been announced.

The 2026-27 school year began Aug. 24 with a half day for all students in grades TK through 12. The last day of school is scheduled for Wednesday, June 9, 2027, also a half day, according to the district website.

The district's three high schools are Rochester High School, Stoney Creek High School and Adams High School. Whether Adams High held its own sunrise event on the same day was not confirmed in district posts.