Malibu Sends Off Its Seniors In Style

MALIBU, CA — How do you commemorate the last day of grade school? In Malibu, you cheer and honk.

On Friday, Malibu sent its graduating class off in style by gathering along Morning View Drive to cheer them on on their last day of classes. As part of the surprise ‘Senior Send Off’ event, parents, faculty, and students in younger grades cheered, blew horns, shook noisemakers, and held up signs as the Class of 2021 walked by on their way to a special class lunch.

The Howard family sponsored a lunch for each member of the class, as well as a keepsake beach towel. It is Malibu, after all.

“The goal of ‘Senior Send Off’ was to have the students go out cheering, laughing, smiling, dancing, and honking,” Malibu High School Principal Patrick Miller wrote in an email.

“I think the kids are largely excited about moving away to college and being on their own,” Miller continued. “I think them seeing their parents cheering them on in a way lets them know that the parents recognize that too, but sends the message [that] the community and parents are there to keep supporting them. It’s another reminder to them that they are loved by many, which I think they know and appreciate.”

Miller called the class of 2021, which had its high school career disrupted by both the Woolsey Fire and then the coronavirus pandemic, “one of the most tight knit groups that I can remember going through.”

“They have developed a strong ‘team’ if not ‘family’ like dynamic, where they support and encourage each other while striving for high expectations for themselves and others,” he said.

This spring, the class of 2021 enjoyed special events each month to celebrate their successes and help keep them in touch during the pandemic.

In February, parents delivered candy grams to all seniors - by hand if they were in town, and by mail if they were away. In March, about 50 seniors hiked around two trails near Solstice Canyon, where life-size cutouts of MHS Principal Patrick Miller, and various other teachers, popped up to greet them. In April, they watched “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” at a drive-in movie night at the Chili Cook Off lot.

In May, they enjoyed a socially distanced picnic at Calamigos Ranch, which will serve as a sort of stand-in for prom. Later this week, seniors will decorate their graduation caps and enjoy food and music at the Malibu Lumber Yard before enjoying senior dinner at Malibu Farm.

And then on Friday, they graduate. This week’s ceremony will mark the first in-person graduation ceremony in two years. Per guidelines from the Department of Public Health, seniors are allowed to bring up to six people, only from their household, and masks and six feet of distance will still be required for everyone. Even with those limitations, Miller said they are still expecting around 600 guests, 25 dignitaries, 75 staff, and 147 students.

“It feels great to be able to celebrate our 147 graduating seniors that make up the class of 2021 the right way,” he said. “It will be great to be able to be together to mark this important milestone together and to celebrate these young people who have endured a number of challenges over their entire school career.”