“Tickets go on sale tomorrow! Make sure to buy the ticket for the group you want to join. Exchanges won’t be possible,” Tatevosian sent in a Student Square message the night before Catalina tickets went on sale. Unlike most senior Catalina trips, the class of 2026 was set to sail on two separate boats with a three-hour departure time difference.
Though students were upset at first to be split up into two groups, it worked out for those who wanted to sleep in a little longer. On Saturday, September 13th, the class of 2026 arrived at Clark at 6:00 am or 9:00 am, depending on their group, boarded the buses, and made their way to San Pedro Harbor. There was a 5-hour overlap between the two groups, so regardless of which boat the seniors were on, there was a portion of the day that everyone got to spend together on the island.
In the last five years, the number of seniors to attend the Catalina trip have pretty consistently been approximately 200-220 students, relative to years prior that had numbers as low as 123 attending (2017). The Catalina trip has become a uniquely Clark experience in GUSD since most schools have a variation of Disneyland, Universal Studios, or Six Flags as part of the senior events.
One administrator and four teachers attended for each group as chaperones. Mr. Mark Rubio took the lead with the early departure, with Mr. Doom, Mrs. Cerda, Mrs. Mardirosian, and Dr. Anet Hairapetyan took the second group with Mr. Bishop, Mr. Zamlich, Mr. Ghavam, and Mrs. Ohanian. It was Mrs.
Jackson’s first time attending any senior event as she is a new staff member at Clark. “I was excited to attend and experience the different opportunities that are available to students at Clark. It was really fun to see some of the seniors all grown up from when I taught at Wilson,” Mrs. Jackson said.
The dates of the Catalina trip have changed between the first and second semesters over the last three years, but staff and students alike seem to agree that September is the time to go, as the weather is warmer and a lot more students are excited to get in the water and do other activities that are more fun on a sunny day. “The weather was really amazing, and it truly made the trip that much more memorable. I spent the whole day swimming and kayaking, so the water was very refreshing from the hot day,” senior Shant Gyurjian said.
Many students decided to minigolf, parasail, paddleboard, swim, or bike. “It was my first time on the island, and my friends and I spent about 2 hours minigolfing. It was an amazing deal, 15 dollars for 18 holes, and it was also in a shaded area away from the hot sun,” senior Sedrh Alcharhi said. A tip for future Catalina travelers: check the websites of the activities that you might want to partake in, as many require signed waivers.
The Catalina trip is just the beginning of all the memories the Class of 2026 will make during their senior year.
