Escalon High School was the host site for the recent Friends Helping Friends holiday celebration.

The attendees were high school and young adult students from county operated special education programs on campuses in Manteca, Tracy, Mountain House, Stockton and Linden and young adult special education students from Tracy Unified School District.

“We had approximately 240 students and staff. The dance is put on each year by the Friends Helping Friends Club and the Key Club,” said Nancy Wright, special education teacher at EHS. “Santa was the highlight again and made himself available for pictures.”

Officials noted that Santa has been a fixture at the dance for two decades.

The Key Club provided the music (DJ) and served up the lunch.

“The club members made themselves available for socializing, dancing and helping wherever they were needed,” Wright added, “and of course the decorating and the tear down.”

The festivities also included the selection of a ‘Royal Court’ and crowning of a king, queen, prince and princess. The court included: King Brett, Prince Philip and Princess Jahna, who all attend a Young Adult program in Tracy Unified. Queen Jocelyn attends a county high school program at Kimball High in Tracy.