WITH HONKING horns, music blasting, a police escort and the excited cries of the younger students, the graduating class took their final ride through the elementary school parking lot to say goodbye.
ABBEY KOOMAN STANDS WITH HER MOM, GWENNE KOOMAN, AS THEY PREPARE A CAR FOR THE OUR LADY OF FATIMA DRIVE-OUT ON MAY 28. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
For Our Lady of Fatima Academy’s annual Car Parade tradition on May 28, the graduating eighth-grade class of seven students was front and center. The entire San Clemente campus came out to send them off as they stuck out from sunroofs, sat in truck beds and even in the trunks of decorated cars. They threw out candy, lobbed water balloons and squirted water into the cheering crowds.
GRADUATING STUDENTS TOSS CANDY DURING THE MAY 28 DRIVE-OUT CELEBRATION.
“I think the significance of having our drive-out is just saying goodbye to the graduates, but not forever: just a big, loving sendoff,” said the school’s principal, Jennifer Jukic.
The eighth-grade class spent their final school day together downtown after practicing for graduation. They enjoyed lunch and completed a scavenger hunt before taking the trolley back up to campus for the Car Parade, said eighth-grade homeroom teacher Jennifer Preece. The final day combined with the send-off was very emotional, she added.
“They are the most astute, faithful, grounded, polite — just a great, great group of kids,” Preece said. “I’m so proud of them and I’m so sad to see them go, but I’m so happy for them at the same time.”
The next day the students headed straight to the Our Lady of Fatima parish church in their graduation gowns. Even though they were officially done, eighth-grader Jack Meyer, 14, said he was already planning on coming back. Before the parade started, he decorated a black Tesla with an inflatable mortarboard graduation cap. He hung metallic garland around the sides and filled the trunk — where he would sit during the parade — with balloons.
Meyer said he liked going to a small school that was a real community.
“You knew everyone very well,” he said. “You knew everyone’s likes and dislikes, what everyone was doing. It wasn’t hard to make get-togethers happen because there were only seven people.”
Standing on the grass and cheering the graduates on was seventh-grader Lily Trapp, 13. She said it was fun seeing the older class one last time. Knowing that she would be the one saying goodbye next year filled her with mixed emotions.
“It’s exciting,” Trapp said. “It’s kind of sad too, because I’ve been here almost my whole life. I’m very excited to do this because it’s really fun, but it’s also sad.”
Graduate Aurora Baccay, 14, said she remembered cheering on previous classes of eighth graders during the Car Parade. She especially recalls the candy thrown into the crowd. Baccay said she was excited to continue the tradition and was planning on throwing out lots of candy herself from the bed of a white truck decorated with handmade banners and party decorations. Baccay, who is the valedictorian, said the education she received at Our Lady of Fatima Academy is what stands out from her time there. She said she especially appreciated that the teachers utilized newer teaching strategies.
“I’ve gotten a really good education here because it’s a small school, so there’s a lot of learning with the teacher, being close with them,” Baccay said. “All the teachers here are just really good. I learned a lot from them.”