Tustin : Students Organize Welcome for Troops

Putting a yellow ribbon on his car or wearing red, white and blue to commemorate Operation Desert Storm was not quite enough for Tustin High School senior Pat Collins. He wanted to do something more.

So Collins, 17, got together with a group of students and organized a patriotic school rally last month, complete with flags, banners, cheers and hot dogs.

But that still wasn’t enough.

So the student group, which calls itself Victory, is putting together a “welcome-home-and-thank-you” rally for troops returning from the Persian Gulf.

“The focus is a celebration of the safe return of the troops,” said Tustin High School English teacher Ray Taylor, who along with a several parents is serving as adviser for the student group.

Although other communities have held homecoming events and the county is scheduling a major event in May, Collins said he and other students wanted to do something specifically for the Tustin community.

“Due to the Marine base here in Tustin, we thought it was appropriate,” Collins said, noting that 75 military dependents attend the high school.

The program is planned for 6:30 p.m. April 26 at Northrup Field, the school’s stadium. Students hope to draw 2,000 to 3,000 people and have invited Supervisor Thomas F. Riley and Brig. Gen. Wayne T. Adams, commander of the El Toro Marine base, to speak at the event. The Tustin High School Drill Team and the Tustin High Tall Flags Drill Team will perform.

Students are still looking for entertainers or other celebrities to lend a hand with the show, as well as volunteers to help set up or clean up. The event will cost an estimated $2,000, Taylor said.

So far, the student group has sold T-shirts and solicited pledges to cover the costs. In addition, they will hold a car wash Saturday at the Mobil gas station at Redhill Avenue and 1st Street, and are planning a fund-raiser Monday night at Barro’s Pizza at 13812 Redhill Ave.

Collins, a National Merit Scholar finalist and a member of the Junior National Water Polo Team, said the school rally and the homecoming event will help students regain pride in themselves, their school and their country.