Fountain Valley High seniors reunite via drive-through graduation

After the coronavirus pandemic resulted in school closures, the impact on the class of 2020 had been a hot topic in the news cycle.

Aminah Khan got involved in campus discussions at Fountain Valley High School in her freshman year. She joined the school newspaper, the Baron News, as a photographer.

Since then, Khan reckons that she found her niche in news reporting. One of her favorite articles involved covering a group of students petitioning to have a controversial title removed from the school curriculum. The book in question was “Persepolis.�

Even though students have been off campus for months now, Khan has stayed abreast of the issues arising today. Although she has not personally attended a protest after the death of George Floyd, she put a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. on her graduation cap: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.�

“I chose Martin Luther King because I think he’s a role model that many people look up to on either side, and I think, in this time, he really connects the country together,� Khan said. “He was obviously a nonviolent protester, and I feel like we could really use the message, which is what I have on my hat.�

Khan said that the graduation featured four stages, at which students were invited to take photos. A slow, steady line of cars filed through the graduation route, “Pomp and Circumstance� playing as they pulled up to the stage, where their names were announced.

A graduate takes a picture during a drive-through graduation at Fountain Valley High School on Wednesday.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

“I thought this was the best way that they could have done graduation,� Jozie McCraney said. “In fact, it seems like it’s way better than any other graduation. You get your time on the stage, your own little introduction, [and] the teachers made it very special.�

McCraney will be attending BYU-Idaho, where she plans to major in business and minor in music. She said her favorite high school memories came as a member of the choir.

She had quite the farewell to her high school, too, driving off in a white Chevrolet convertible with the roof down. McCraney’s parents, Beau and Sharie, rented the vehicle for the day.

Steven Morales arrived at graduation with an oversized graduation cap attached to the roof of the car. Feeling sentimental, Morales wore his class ring with an inscription inside that read, “Barons for life.�

“One is being excited to be at this place one more time,� Morales said of the emotions that graduation brought. “The second would be nervous for what the future may hold, and I guess the last one would be a bit sad because I kind of grew accustomed to this place and everyone that I knew from here at this school, the experience, the growth that I went through.�

Chelsea Nguyen, who played soccer and competed in track and field at Fountain Valley, said she would pursue kinesiology at Orange Coast College.

She added that the loss of senior events like prom and grad night because of the coronavirus was tough, but Nguyen was all smiles as she took pictures with family after the commencement ceremony.

Asked if she had a main takeaway from her high school experience, Nguyen said, “Nothing lasts forever, so enjoy the moment.�

Jake Brooks takes a selfie during a drive-through graduation at Fountain Valley High School on Wednesday.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

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