Photograph by Joanna Chan
Graduates definitely had their minds on the future when they danced under the stars in the quad on Grad Nite.
YouthTalk
Lasting memories cherished at Saratoga High's Grad Nite
By Joanna Chan and Laura Lin
The Saratoga High School Class of 2000 stepped onto the road of adulthood and independence as they received their diplomas on June 15. But before closing this chapter of their lives, the graduates were able to seize one last unforgettable night together as one united class.
"It's their last chance to be together," said senior class adviser Señor Arnaldo Rodríguex. "This class has worked so hard. I envision them going to lots of places, becoming good representatives of society."
Two hundred fifty-two seniors attended the 17th annual Grad Nite, which took place in the school's quad following the graduation ceremony and lasted until 6 a.m. the next morning.
The theme of the celebration was "Access your Future Today," combining the ideas of Y2K, the new millennium, the future and cyberspace. Even the bathrooms were decorated with this theme. The girl's bathroom resembled an undersea scene from Star Wars and the boy's bathroom appeared as the cockpit of a spaceship.
The tradition of Grad Nite was initiated in Saratoga in 1984 by Dr. Gordon Iwanaga.
"We wanted to provide something exciting for the kids that would be safe," Iwanaga said recently. "The kids would then have one place where they could all go to after graduation."
Among the many activities planned by Tina Kellogg, a parent volunteer who organized games and entertainment, professional entertainers provided a source of laughter.
The music was provided by DJ Jeff Warner, who had set up a laser-light display.
"I liked the foosball the best because I found it really interesting," said graduate Tanya Chu. "We were strapped to a pole, and at one point, the whole thing deflated. It was a lot of fun."
The graduates were able to view the senior video, which was a collection of memorable moments throughout their high school career. Other activities included sand volleyball, soccer, basketball, air hockey and an Astro-jump.
Even though fewer students attended the post-ceremony event than anticipated, financing Grad Nite was not a problem. In the past years, only three or four students did not attend, compared to this year's 28 absent students. Parent organizers had hoped for at least 259 of the 280 students to attend in order to raise enough money to stay within the budget, while only 252 seniors bought bids.
According to Kellogg, the price for the event was $100 until April 1 and rose to $120 by the end of the year, but enough students bought tickets at the $120 price to make up for the missing students. Parents even raised money to pay for those who could not afford the cost of the bid.
The original budget was set at $26,000 but was exceeded by almost $15,000. Donations from the community and parents, however, helped to finance Grad Nite. The Kellogg family held four garage sales to raise money, while the senior class donated $1,000.
Susanna Wong, who was in charge of providing the food, was able to arrange an eclectic menu for dinner, snack, and a breakfast. The dessert bar included self-serve ice cream.
The volunteer parents began planning this event six months in advance, in December 1999. Parents started brainstorming for the top-secret theme, which was not revealed until Grad Nite. More than 100 parents contributed to building the structures, preparing the activities, obtaining the prizes, and acquiring the food.
"A lot of team work and hours were put into this night," Wong said. "There was tremendous participation from parents. The biggest reward was to see that the students enjoyed the night and appreciated the hard work that we put in."
"I heard a lot of students say that this was the best party they have ever gone to," said parent volunteer Judy Johnstone.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
