On the Spot: Encapsulating high school experience in rings (with video)

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Camila Flores

Coppell High School juniors Hailey Wilkins and Lily Lee hand packets out for junior class rings today in the CHS Arena. Jostens representative Chris Harper came to talk to CHS juniors about getting class rings and introduce their new ring styles.

Karen Lu, Daily News/Assignment Editor

A collective cheer sounds from the crowd; a winner has been chosen. Coppell High School junior Jordan Skalski will now be awarded a free class ring for following @jostenstexasgradshop on Instagram.

During second period on Monday, Jostens hosted a presentation in the CHS Arena for all juniors, introducing the sales of class rings for the 2021 graduating class.

With a customizable ring from start to finish, Jostens offers more than 100 styles, hundreds of stone options, more than 900 sides and several finishes. The purpose of the highly personalizable process is to truly encapsulate someone’s high school experience to look back on for decades to come.

“There are thousands of different combinations you could do with rings,” Jostens representative Chris Harper said. “From school mascots to activities, no matter what it is you’re involved in, we’ve got a way for you to tell your story. I don’t know what stories you guys have to tell, but I’m looking forward to hearing each and every one of them.”

Harper reflected back on a customer who had a unique reasoning behind her stone choice, allowing her ring to serve as a reminder of the moment long after it ended.

“Michelle ordered her ring about 10 years ago now,” Harper said. “She came up to me with a purple stone but her school colors were red and white. She said she wanted to be reminded of why she had the opportunity to stand in front of me today; she just had open heart surgery the year before, and that was the first color her heart ever liked.”

This year, Jostens introduced a new class ring style: the class band, showcasing a more minimal style compared to the previous years’ styles. 

Jostens will be back on Thursday from 12 to 6 p.m. and Friday from 12 to 2 p.m. to receive the order forms passed out today after the presentation. If students order their class jewelry during that time, then Jostens will also hand out a free adidas Striker Backpack embroidered with Coppell Cowboys and a 2021 Companion Ring. 

On top of the complementary backpack and ring, Harper also presented the opportunity for one student in the arena to earn a complete customizable class ring simply by following @jostenstexasgradshop on Instagram. Skalski was chosen from a random scroll down the follower list. 

“I wasn’t really expecting to get it,” Skalski said. “I just did it because everyone around me was, and I guess it just worked out.”

While a class ring is the most popular item among Jostens customers, they also offer numerous other jewelry and accessory styles that display and commemorate a high schooler’s graduating year.

“The great thing that Jostens does is they give you options,” CHS associate principal Melissa Arnold said. “It’s not just a ring. You can also purchase a necklace or a keychain. You have the opportunity to do exactly what it is you want as far as following the tradition goes.”
 
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