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Friends Help Friends Have Fun
1211 ROYALTY
Shown, from left, the new royalty crowned at the Friends Helping Friends holiday dance. From left, Princess Sarah Clark-Galbreath, Queen Ashley, helper Miss Escalon Spencer Borba, Prince Cole Malcomson and King Aaron. Marg Jackson/The Times

Escalon High School hosted its annual Holiday Dance for special day class and adult education students from throughout San Joaquin County on Dec. 4, inviting them in for music, food, visits with Santa and some good old-fashioned fun.

Teacher Nancy Wright, in her first year at Escalon High, said the spring dance for special students is hosted at East Union in Manteca, while Escalon hosts the winter holiday dance.

“Originally it was a Christmas formal so some of the kids still do dress up,” Wright said.

Helping put on the festivities were the Friends Helping Friends club at EHS, the Key Club and advisor Rick Heflin and members of the Escalon Kiwanis Club.

“I think it’s wonderful and it looks like everyone is having a good time,” Wright said.

She has been involved with special education for many years, spending 12 years in Manteca and the last two in Stockton before coming in to teach the Special Day Class in Escalon.

The festivities included the crowning of some royalty, with King Aaron of Manteca Community, Queen Ashley of Lincoln Unified, Prince Cole Malcomson of Tracy Unified and Princess Sarah Clark-Galbreath of East Union.

Helping to present the crowns and sashes were Miss Escalon Spencer Borba and Friends Helping Friends officers. Collin Strasser is president, Julianna Antonacci is vice president, with Cassidy Ley-Han the treasurer and Amanda Jensen the secretary.

Volunteers also served a lunch following the dance, before students had to board the buses to head back to their home school sites.

“We cooked for 325,” said Heflin, with hot dogs, chips, cookies, water, fruit snacks and juice all on the menu. “We have about 289 here.”