Abby Signorio, an honor graduate at Temescal Canyon High School, smiles at the cheering crowd as she is driven along the parade route by a member of the Canyon Lake Car Club. Canyon Lakers lined the streets to pay tribute at the parade to a graduating class that missed out on typical graduation ceremonies and celebrations because of the COVID-19 restrictions. “What is more special than having a parade in your hometown?” Shawna Bowen, the organizer, said. “Not a lot of places can do this.” Photo provided by Debbie Moreno.
Grads get their due
Canyon Lake graduates of the Class of 2020, high school and college students alike, were not able to participate in typical end-of-year celebrations this year because of COVID-19 restrictions. Canyon Lakers showed up in droves to ensure their accomplishments did not1 go uncelebrated.
Wanting to still celebrate all of their hard work and accomplishments, the Canyon Lake Family Matters Club organized a parade Saturday evening in their honor.0
Many seniors participated in the parade, which simultaneously took place on four separate routes throughout Canyon Lake. They were carted around the parade routes in decorated golf carts or in classic cars driven by members of the Canyon Lake Cars Club.
“I’ve never been part of a parade, so it was a cool experience and I got to ride in a pretty sweet ride,” Marco Rodriguez, who graduated from Temescal Canyon High School and will be continuing his education at California Baptist University, said. “We have a great community in Canyon Lake to put this together. The Family Matters and Car Club helped honor our achievements. It’s nice to know that our community cares for us.”
Marco is one of many Canyon Lake seniors who expressed gratitude for the effort put in by the Family Matters Club to recognize the Class of 2020.
“Family Matters is pleased to have hosted something that brought just a little bit of joy and ‘grandness’ to an otherwise deflated graduation feeling,” Shawna Bowen, the founder of the Family Matters Club and organizer of the parade, said. “What is more special than having a parade in your hometown? Not a lot of places can do this.”
Shawna said that as a parent of a graduating college senior, she had been searching for a way to congratulate all of Canyon Lake’s seniors for all of their hard work.
“I thought what better way than a parade,” she said. “It was something we could do during the restrictions and it allowed people to participate either in the parade or by viewing the parade from safe distances.”
As Shawna and the Family Matters Club had intended, many seniors were able to create new memories during this community event.
“Thank you for the opportunity to have this awesome memory!” Cassidy Potter, a graduating senior from Vista Murrieta High School, said. “We had fun decorating the golf carts and being with our friends. The community really came out and supported us and we loved every minute of it. Thank you Ms. Bowen and Family Matters Club for dreaming this up for us!”
The parade would not have felt like such a celebration if not for the spectators, though, many of the participating grads said. Residents of Canyon Lake, even those who were not parents of seniors, came out on driveways and in golf carts to cheer and show their support.
“Families along the route had set up BBQs and fire pits,” Shawna said. “They were making an entire evening out of it. The parade participants were enjoying it so much that the route that ended at East Port then turned around and continued to Holiday Harbor.”
“I am so grateful to have a wonderful community to make up for our graduation,” Ariana Shah, from Temescal Canyon, said. “The parade was super fun and interactive. I’d love to thank Ms. Bowen and Family Matters for coordinating this!”
In addition to the parade, the Family Matters Club presented each participating senior with a congratulatory note and a voucher for a meal from Chick Fil A, which was donated by the restaurant.
“It was nice that Canyon Lake supported us for all our hard work we’ve done in these past years,” Tyler Van Meter, a TCHS graduate, said. “Due to COVID-19, the senior class of 2020 missed out on a few memories, but we were able to make our own because of the parade.”
Graduating seniors from Canyon Lake but from various local high schools and members of Canyon Lake Girl Scout Troop 1077, from left, Amanda Martilla, Brianna Martilla, Cassidy Potter, Samii Ledezma, Tavia Fontenot, and Ariana Shah smile together before the parade commenced on Saturday. Photo credit: Jully Martilla
Griffin Castillo (age 7) and Graham Castillo (age 10) wave signs of encouragement with their mom Kasey Castillo as graduates parade by. Photo credit: Kelly Lopez
Tyler Van Meter (far right) celebrates his graduation with fellow friends and graduates from Temescal Canyon.
The Potters, Cargnelutti, Ledezma, and Shah proudly hold up signs for their graduating seniors.
Marco Cargnelutti (Vista Murrieta High School) and big sister Chloe Cargnelutti (Oral Roberts University), who is pictured on the far right, celebrate their graduations alongside longtime friends Cassidy Potter (Vista Murrieta High School) and Erika Barsby (Mercy College). Photo by Jully Martilla
Austin Moreno (TCHS) celebrates alongside, or rather above, his parents Trevor and Debbie Moreno.
Photo provided by the Family Matters Club.
Supporters in golf carts line the street to support the class of 2020 (in the nearest golf cart are John and Kristen Kennedy). Photo by Jully Martilla
Ally Quinn, from Temescal Canyon High School, poses next to her family’s decorated golf cart.
The Family Matters Club presented each participating senior with a gift: a congratulatory note and a voucher for a meal from Chick Fil A. Photo by Amanda Martilla