September 1 is the traditional first day of school in Estonia. After the official welcome, all of the students, except the first and twelfth graders, go to their homerooms. In a nice ceremony in the auditorium, the twelfth graders (each wearing their school cap, or tekkel) welcome the first graders by giving them school caps, too. So I think every student in Estonia has a school tekkel.

Tapa Gümnaasium is an elementary, middle, and high school. So this September 1 ceremony is filled with the symbolism of first/last and youngest/oldest as well as of the beginning of a journey - through childhood and adolescence and into adulthood.