MANZANITA, CA (MPG) - Manzanita Elementary School held their weekly walk of fame, but on Monday, June 5^th, the students celebrated with some very special people.

The Mustangs invited former Manzanita alumni from Gridley High School to walk the walk. These GHS students graduate from high school this coming Friday, June 9th. Many of the soon-to-be GHS grads were top performers in their GHS classes and arrived decked in their cords and sashes.

Superintendent and Principal of Manzanita School Gary Rogers said, “Alumni, you always have a special place here as part of the Manzanita Family.”

Each student introduced themselves and told their younger counterparts where they would be attending college and what they planned to study.  They then made a loop around the “walk of fame” smiling and giving hi-fives to the younger generations. Before they departed, the alumni and students all sang the Manzanita Fight Song.

Afterwards the alumni gathered for one last group picture outside the school near the historic Manzanita bell.

Soon to be GHS grad Kennison Cota shared how much it meant to have the opportunity to come back to her alma mater, “It’s a community, it’s a family”. Ella Hughes added, “We have been looking up to this since we were in kindergarten. We saw so many kids go through and so many high school graduates – and we were like ‘wow’ we are going to do that someday. And now we’re here.”

It was a very sentimental moment for the grads, the staff, and the parents in attendance, not to mention an inspirational one to the underclassmen.