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For a second year in a row, Arroyo Vista Elementary School honored their graduating 5th-graders with a lively drive-thru promotion ceremony on Tuesday.
Lining the all-so-familiar, tree laden drop-off area in front of the school, teachers and faculty cheered and waved to passing families in their cars, many adorned with decorative balloons, congratulatory messages, and more.
Playing it on the safe side, however, did not reduce the energy nor the effort from participants, putting on a beautiful display replete with school colors and hand-drawn signs wishing Wildcats good luck, congratulations abound.
For Principal Kim Sinclair, who succeeded now SPMS Principal Cheryl Busick in 2020, the promotion was still a cherry-topper for an exceptional (in many ways) first year at AV. “It’s bittersweet,” Sinclair told the South Pasadenan News, “The kids have worked so hard and they’ve come so far this year, they’ve adjusted and adapted and they’ve just learned so much about perseverance.”
A short distance from the pack, dressed in a vibrant, polka-dotted suit was 2nd-grade instructor, Brian Jehue. Being the first person students would see, Jehue aimed to wow, keeping with a tradition he had made for himself and his students, donning at least 10 of these special suits from his unique wardrobe for special events throughout the year. “I try to celebrate each one of my students in my own way,” he said, while waving at passing cars.
Processing the fact that he would most likely be wishing bon voyage to about 75 students he has taught over the course of several years, Jehue had no doubt that under the tutelage of not just himself but fellow instructors — from kindergarten’s Helena Yee, Anne Davis-Martinez, Jill Reddy, and Laura Ishibashi, to 5th-grade’s Lisa Clark, Monique Diaz, Reina Rogers, and Rein Wahbe, and everyone in between — students were well prepared for the future awaiting. “I know that they will be amazing students in middle school because they’ve learned to overcome adversity, to show integrity and be respectful of our community,” he confidently said.
Reminding students that the doors of AV will always be open for them to visit, Principal Sinclair shares Jehue’s confidence in the Wildcat Class of 2021. “They’ve become technology wizards through all this,” she smiles with admiration, “They have to have the most flexible spirit of any class that’s ever gone through [here]. Everything’s been changing and adapting and twisting and turning, and they’ve done everything they can to keep up and do what they needed to do to make it a great year!”
Congratulations to the 2021 Arroyo Vista Wildcats!
