The party got started around 9:30 p.m. Friday … and lasted until the early morning hours of Saturday.
Escalon’s Sober Grad Night festivities for the graduating Class of 2024 saw more than 110 students attend, taking part in games, competitions, a Paint Night, working to get out of an Escape Room and more, wrapping up with a hypnotist show that ran until about 3 a.m. Saturday, June 1.
Coordinator Krysten Lial worked with a committee of several parent and community volunteers to put the event on, and was pleased with the activities offered, the support for the program and the number of students who turned out.
Lial said the final count of attendees was 113 students.
“The Escape Room was a huge hit, it was busy the whole night,” Lial said. “They played a couple cornhole tournaments and big winners, winning multiple tournaments were Talan Reider and Matthew Rangel.”
The Escape Room was put on by Richard Jimenez with Real Magic out of Sacramento and encouraged teams of students to take part in solving the mystery.
There was more food than attendees could eat, with a new feature being a taco truck set up by Mi Taco Union De Tula Jalisco and frozen yogurt with assorted toppings brought in by Menchies out of Riverbank.
“And both Mountain Mikes and D’Boni’s donated pizza,” said Lial, with cookies, cupcakes, fruit, chips, soda and water also available for the graduates.
Each student got to place tickets in for a number of prize drawings when they arrived and had the opportunity for a ‘money ball’ drawing, receiving cash from $10 to $50 at check-in as well.
Grand prize winners this year were Nico Franzia and Mariela Calderon, each receiving $500; Kaleia Jones winning the PS5; Isabeli Velazquez winning the Dell Laptop; and Grace Spurgeon winning the Apple Watch.
Golden Ticket item winners, each receiving $200 cash, were Frank Richard Barrera, Jagger Scott, Nico Franzia, Mila Alves and Ace Lombardo; while Jadon Gutierrez won a 32-inch smart TV, David Vargas-Hernandez and Bella Silveira each won an Apple Air Pod Pro 2. Hannah Wampler won the paddle board; the mini fridge went to Matthew Rangel and Erica Patino won the portable wireless speaker with microphone. Amariza Acevedo won the girls Ariat boots, Anthony ‘AJ’ Cerasi was the winner of the boys Ariat boots and Derek Silva won the gas card.
It was a good turnout, Lial said, and another successful Sober Grad night.
“We also want to thank all of the families and local businesses who so generously contributed to our event and everyone who donated gift cards,” Lial said. “This event could not happen without the support of our community.”
