With airport car parade, 2020 grads end their wild ride in style

Some chose to sit in the bed of a truck, while others waved from a sunroof. Some drove themselves, some had a chauffeur. The decked their rides with everything from flags to footballs.

Whatever the means of locomotion, these high school seniors had one thing in common: they are the survivors of the wildest ride in modern education.

Robbed by the coronavirus pandemic of their last quarter of school — the senior prom, the class play, the last game of the season, the big choir concert — they weren’t about to miss their own graduation.

So the graduating seniors of Gig Harbor and Peninsula high schools rode and drove and wheeled their way Saturday afternoon in a pair of car parades at Tacoma Narrows Airport, flanked by two rows of cheering, honking parents in their own automobiles.

“They are a pretty awesome group,” said Kim Demianiw, the ASB Advisor at Peninsula High School. “They’ve had a lot taken away from them. This is not how it should have ended, but they are making the best of it.”

Creativity at work

High levels of creativity were on display during the parade, with some students balancing on the hood of their car, while others drove with a cardboard cutout of themselves taped to the roof. Windows were painted with slogans like “Go Cougs” and “Future Firefighter.”

And it wouldn’t be a parade without music. Each vehicle displayed its senior’s taste, varying from pop hits like “Dancing Queen” to bouncy classics like “Macarena.”

“This is a really cool idea,” said Peninsula High School senior Curtis Staples, who will be attending Central Washington University. “It gives people a chance to get out.”

Zachary Wedel, a fellow Peninsula High School senior who will be attending Tacoma Community College, said one of the coolest moments for him was seeing his friend, Ross, who has been diagnosed with cancer.

“It’s good to see everyone, especially Ross. It was nice seeing him today,” said Wedel, who added that he enjoyed being around all the vehicles.

“There are some very nice-looking cars here that I can’t ever have,” he said, laughing.

Almost named a park

Ben Harper, a Gig Harbor High School senior, will be attending Boise State next Fall. He said he has had great times in high school, pointing out a moment when he and his friends almost got Soundview Park named “Bobber Park.”

“Bobber is the name of my friend’s dog,” said Harper, laughing. “Mayor Kuhn liked the name, but they ended up going with Soundview Park.”

Bonnie Timmerman, mother of Peninsula High School senior Ricky Winslow, said she is very proud of her son and his success.

“I think this is a very positive way to celebrate them and ensure everyone is safe,” she said.

Sunnie Callow, mother to future Washington State University student Chloe Callow, said the car parade will be a unique memory for the class of 2020.

“This will definitely create some memories other seniors won’t have, “ she said.

Callow still hopes she can watch her daughter walk across the stage to receive a diploma, but she’s happy the district is doing all they can to recognize the class of 2020.

Even the FAA helped

The hastily organized airport parade took a lot of coordination between the district, the county — even the Federal Aviation Administration — superintendent Art Jarvis said, but everyone cooperated.

“I’m sure that in ordinary times, we’d have never been allowed anywhere near the airport,” Jarvis said in May. “But everyone has just bent over backwards for us.”

Airport operations continued, even as the seniors paraded on the tarmac near the hangars.

A seniors-only graduation ceremony is tentatively scheduled for July 25 for both schools at Roy Anderson Field next to Peninsula High School. Students will be seated six feet apart, and they’ll pick up their diplomas, instead of being handed them. But they’ll each hear their name called and get their walk across the stage.

An in-person ceremony will take place only if Pierce County is in Phase 4 of the state’s “Safe Start” plan. If they are not in phase 4, the ceremony will be canceled and a pre-taped virtual graduation ceremony will be available for seniors and family to enjoy from home.

Regardless of whether they get that walk across the stage, the Peninsula School District senior class of 2020 has shown a great attitude, their mentors agreed.

“Gosh, they are a resilient group,” said Gig Harbor High School councilor Todd Davis. “They’ve been through a lot, and despite what happened, they kept their chins up and made the best of a tough situation.”

More pictures and stories in Hugh McMillan’s Kids Corner