Recently, Seniors at OCSA have been notified that Grad Bash is canceled.  

Grad Bash, a celebratory end of year event where students get to experience Universal with their graduating classmates, is a tradition at many high schools. 

The announcement of its cancelation spurred discussion and confusion amongst the senior class. Many seniors were quoted saying that it was “unfair” because of how much they were looking forward to the event.  Students also wanted to know why the event was cancelled and if there would be something to replace their field trip.  

The Rumors:  

Because of the uncertainty surrounding the event, numerous rumors about Grad Bash have circulated around campus.  

Ms. Swann, the SGA sponsor, shared one rumor that the reason there is no senior event is because, “Allegedly [a previous OCSA class sponsor] did not submit the paperwork in time… to get us our Grad Bash spot.”  

In an effort to give the seniors a day that they deserve, Ms. Swann provided some unofficial solutions. For instance, there was the mention of renting out a Universal theme park or simply having a lock in and watching movies in the cafeteria.

However, all of these solutions wouldn’t provide the same experience as the traditional Grad Bash. 

Chymarie Williams, the SGA President echoed the frustration of not being able to have the signature Grad Bash event but looked ahead of the issue stating, “While it is frustrating, we have to just look for solutions and find better options rather than coming at each other.”

This hopeful outlook on the situation provides some solace for many seniors struggling to look past everything that happened. 

The Truth:

Mr. Kaplinger, Senior Class Sponsor, was more than happy to speak about the state of Grad Bash. 

He feels extremely grateful for the way the senior class has worked with him throughout the complexities of the situation.  

To put it simply, Mr. Kaplinger explains that “the person that was in charge of booking the event did not book it in time.” 

He told us about the extensive process of working with administration to “save” Grad Bash but realizing that it was “too late.” 

Mr. Kaplinger explained that he and Administration did their best to book Grad Bash, but “the only date that was available was a Thursday night which did not get District approved.” 

However, there is still a chance for the seniors to celebrate! Instead of giving up on the event, Mr. Kaplinger is working hard to “pivot” and “make the best out of the situation.” Which leads us to the current prospective solution.

Mr. Kaplinger said, “Right now, the current plan is to do the 12th grade Grad Night over at Busch Gardens on Friday, May 1st.”  According to Mr. Kaplinger, the “seniors will have something to look forward to” after all!  

Keep a look out for upcoming announcements with more official details.