While Ellenville High School's incoming senior class usually only gets one chance to paint the rock on the ridge overlooking the town with the year of their impending graduation — a tradition that dates back to the graduating class of 1970 — the seniors who graduated on Friday, June 27, 2008 got the chance to do it twice, the second time on the actual date of their graduation, no less.

Eight Rondout Valley High School students, with the help of one member of Ellenville's class of 2008, climbed up to the rock in the wee hours of the morning after their own graduation, Thursday, June 26, to paint over the enormous "08" which had been proudly displayed on the rock-face throughout the past school-year with an equally huge "RV," standing, of course, for Rondout Valley. According to Senior Class President Rebecca Cohen, the students who had perpetrated the paint-over were still at the scene of the crime when she arrived at the Ellenville Central School District campus at about 8:30 on Friday morning.

"I was so angry, I couldn't even think straight," says Cohen of her initial reaction. "They were still there, just looking guilty."

However, it takes more than a little paint to deter Ellenville High School's students and staff.

"Our school wasn't going to take this lying down," says Hillary Smith, co-advisor to the senior class.

The staff and students on-campus that day mobilized, rallying allies in the form of about 45 people, comprised of seniors, underclassmen, alumni, and teachers who all gathered together to climb up to the rock and right Rondout's wrong, repainting the rock with its rightful "08" in time for graduation that evening, the rock being a traditional backdrop for graduation pictures.

"This thing brought the senior class together in the best way," says Phil Althouse, Smith's co-advisor to the seniors. "I think the end result at the end of the day was that it made them all happy, rather than vengeful." According to Althouse, teachers Brian Bonitz and Tom Nolan, both coaches of Blue Devils teams throughout the year, "helped spearhead the paint-the-rock movement."

"In less than two hours the whole thing was transformed," says Althouse.

When the painting party returned from the mountainside, they found Rondout Valley High School Principal Lillian Phillips as well as a Rondout Valley High School counselor waiting for them. Phillips apologized for what had happened and praised Ellenville's efforts at quickly undoing the work of the pranksters.

"It was nice of them to come down and work with us," says Ellenville Central School District Superintendant Lisa Wiles of Principal Phillips's words and appearance. Wiles says that part of what created such a strong reaction to the prank wasn't so much the act itself, but the meaning and significance of the day on which it occurred — that of graduation. "They were appalled at the whole thing also," she says of the RVHS staff who visited that day. Wiles also tells of a letter received by ECSD signed by Principal Phillips, as well as the district's superintendant, the school board president, and the class counselor.

"The Rondout Valley central school district community expresses its dismay and apology for the thoughtless actions of some of our recent graduates in the attempt to paint over a beloved local sign," reads the letter. "We understand and respect the tradition in the Ellenville school district and its community, and how important these are to our neighbors. We will continue to have a positive relationship as a neighboring district. Once again, our apologies for any distress this caused the students, staff, and community of the Ellenville Central School District. Congratulations to the Ellenville High School Class of 2008."

"Really for them to take the steps to do [write the letter], it really says a lot, I think," says Wiles.

According to Saturday's Daily Freeman, Ellenville Police Chief Phil Mattracion got the students who pulled the prank to pay $188 to cover the cost of repainting the rock. The one Ellenville student who had aided the Rondout Valley students in their prank was reportedly absent from the evening's graduation, says Rebecca Cohen. Because she had reached the end of the school year, there wasn't much the school could do to discipline the student, says Superintendant Wiles.

"But I think the nature of her act amongst her classmates," says Wiles, "I think she's going to be accountable. It's very sad, to tell you the truth. To have one of your own students do something like that to the rest of her class…and I'm telling you, those kids were very upset."

"She's pretty embarrassed," reports Cohen of the Ellenville student.

However, ultimately, the incident ended in triumph. In the face of adversity, the class of 2008, along with the community who supports it, has come out stronger and more unified than ever. The big white "08" is visible across the valley, a sign, not only of a continuing tradition, but of a spirit of teamwork and fellowship that has infused Ellenville's senior class this year.

"'08 will always be a special class," says Phil Althouse, "because they painted the rock twice."

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