What began as a COVID-era idea has quickly become a standard rite of passage for seniors at Los Alamitos High School and plans announced for this year’s annual senior parade indicates the event is growing again.
Jo Shade, a Rossmoor resident who leads a group that instituted the event announced this week that the annual event will be held June 3 at 11:00 a.m.
Shade, who has since been elected to the Rossmoor Community Services District Board of Directors, said in a statement that “we are changing things up a bit this year. As always, we work to improve every year.”
Each year, hundreds of students, and their parents, decorate a wide assortment of vehicles with school colors, often listing the colleges that they will be attending, and roll through the storied streets of Rossmoor as residents gather to celebrate the school’s class of graduating seniors.
In a memo to key officials of the Los Al Unified School District leadership, Shade said participation by local officials will be extensive, including the city of Los Alamitos, Los Al Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Orange County Fire Authority, RCSD Board of Directors, OC Supervisor Andrew Do, State Senator Janet Nguyen, State Senator Tom Umburg, Los Al Chamber Board, and the Rossmoor Homeowners Association.
Shade said the flag car driven by Laura Herzog, Executive Director of “Honoring Our Fallen” will carry Superintendent Andrew Pulver and Los Al High School Principal Christiana Kraus.
“Our local law enforcement and Fire Dept. will be leading and sprinkled throughout the parade as well as guiding throughout the neighborhood and at Rush Park for safety and security reasons.
In a first, Shade announced that the senior parade will end up at Rush Park in Rossmoor, greeted by various food trucks, a color guard, music and “all day” entertainment.
“Upon arrival, there will be a year [book] signing area set up at the picnic tables along with multiple photo-op backdrops set up and cutouts for the kids and families to take photos,” said Shade.
“We will have a Color Guard – flag salute and the National Anthem inviting our VIPs to come from the parking lineup at Rush Park, where families will gather, and our speakers will have an opportunity to greet and congratulate our graduating seniors and their families and share some words of encouragement from the stage we will have set up,” she added.
Apparently, it’s going to be quite a party, as Shade said plans are being made for the older kids such as a mechanical bull ride, rock wall, and a bungee ride, among others.
She said parents and students, and their rides, are being asked to meet in the staging area at 9:30 a.m. at the parking lot in the Shops at Rossmoor.
More information is available at www.ourrossmoor.com/parade. Registration begins May 15.