For the last three years Victor Romo has sold t-shirts at the East Union High School back-to-school night to benefit his leadership class.
And there was no way that he wasn’t going to continue that tradition on Wednesday night as students and their parents returned to the campus as one of the final steps in the return to the academic school year – an event for fun, friendship and fellowshipping amongst the tight-knit Lancer community.
“It’s a great way for parents to get to know teachers and to just get back into the swing of things,” said Romo, who is setting his sights at colleges like Harvard, Stanford and Berkeley after this year. “I really enjoy talking to people that come by our table and helping to raise money for our class and seeing so many people coming out to get the school year going again.
“It really builds that sense of community that we have here on this campus.”
Originally designed as a way for parents to get the opportunity to meet and interact with their student’s teachers at a time that was convenient for those who work, the evening has become a gathering place for the entire East Union community and a chance to show parents exactly what goes in during a typical day on campus.
It has also become a chance to showcase some of the things that makes high school a unique experience.
While she was waiting with her freshman son to get the chance to meet his teachers, Stacey Palmer was happy to grab a little bit of shade and enjoy the sounds of the East Union High School Lancer band who were performing in the quad. It took her back to her days as a member of the Color Guard at her high school in the Bay Area.
“It’s exciting to be here and see what’s going on while he’s on campus,” Palmer said while waiting with her son, Trent Mandl. “He appears to be doing well here during his first year in high school, and it’s good to understand what it is that he’s doing while he’s here and that’s not something that you get the chance to do unless you come down and see for yourself.”
While the heat may have kept some people away, East Union Principal Raul Mora said that he is always impressed with the turnout of both parents and students who show up every year to help solidify the partnership that makes education successful.
And as a school that prides itself on creating a unique culture among its students that focuses on unity and academic success, Mora said that there’s nothing that exemplifies that more than the night when parents are welcome into the classroom to interact directly with teachers to help bridge the gap between home and school.
“We always look forward to welcoming the parents onto campus because they play such a big role in the equation when it comes to the success of their students,” Mora said. “It’s such a critical piece and I always look forward to seeing parents who are involved with their kids and students that look forward to introducing them to their teachers.
“An event like this lets us show the parents what we strive for and how we maintain our high level of school spirit, and all of the students and teachers do a great job of making this a welcoming environment for everybody who comes.”