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Students involved in graffiti ‘prank’ start to fess up

Posted at 9:46 PM, May 20, 2015
and last updated 2015-05-20 21:46:48-04

MUSKEGON, Mich. — It’s a senior prank that went too far. Graffiti and “taggings” on the wall of Muskegon High School caused serious damage to the buildings, sidewalks, and other facilities. The cost of damage is estimated to be about $3800, according to the district's superintendent Jon Felske.

The graffiti was made to look like it was caused by students at Mona Shores, which included the final score of last year’s game between the two schools. However, surveillance footage showed that it was an inside job and now a number of students are facing disciplinary action.

A senior prank is not a foreign concept. It’s even a concept that has had TV shows made around it like MTV’s ‘High School Prank.’ Now the students are learning the difference between a prank and vandalism.

“What happened was very embarrassing, and we could have done something way more better, and way smarter. We are more intelligent than that. We are a way smarter community,” said Phoenix Urcavich, a senior at Muskegon High School.

Urcavich was at the school at the time of the prank. He was actually inside the school. He said him and another friend hid for five hours until janitors left in hopes to let the boys inside the school so they could pull off a senior prank after hours.

“We spent four years at this school, and you want to go out with a bang, even if it’s something small. We figured it would be cool,” said Urcavich.

Urcavich claims he thought they would be performing a small prank like baby oil in the hallways or toilet paper in the halls. He didn’t know the plans for a new prank were made without them.

Urcavich’s plans all changed when he got a call to his cell phone.

“We got a call at about 11:30 p.m. and they said ‘it’s time for you guys to get out of the school. We just did what we did, and there might be cops on the way,” said Urcavich.

Urcavich says he was surprised by what had been done to the school when he walked outside.

“Our football team is an outstanding team. One of the best in the country, and the fact that they embarrassed us like that; it’s just heartbreaking. They embarrassed their coach it's just disturbing,” he said.

Urcavich admitted to school officials he was there when the incident took place. He’s now being slapped with a $100 fine for trespassing.

Felske said 25 students have come forward and all of them have a $100 fine to pay.

“It’s embarrassing to the alumni, to the staff, to the teachers that attend the school right now and my mother,” Urcavich said.

Felske said the district is dealing with the issue in-house to provide money for the damages which are about $3800. Urcavich says he deserves the punishment that comes his way, but hopes others involved have the courage to also step forward. He says he knows who they are, but he says he won’t be giving the school those names. Urcavich believes they need to come forward on their own.

Felske also said that if the students do not pay the $100, they will not be able to walk at graduation on Wednesday. The school is trying to deal with this without enlisting help from the prosecutor’s office. But if some refuse to pay, criminal charges could follow suit.

The superintendent said he’s still waiting for another 10-15 more kids to come forward.