Great America, Union Square and the battle between the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals highlighted the senior class? final class trip together on May 20-22.

?The senior trip was awesome because I got to spend time with everyone and build up stronger relationships,? Brandon Cain said. ?One of the most memorable experiences was riding the cable cars with Brianne Raymer, Mikey Wills and Julianne Erkenbrecher because we got to see a lot more of the city; it was really fun.?

The trip was not only a memorable experience for the students, but for the chaperones as well.

?Overall the tone of this senior trip was the best it?s ever been,? Jon Endicott, AP English teacher, said. ?It was fun; I never stressed about anyone?s behavior. There was just a relaxed atmosphere.?

The seniors spent the first morning and afternoon at Paramount?s Great America amusement park. Students not only enjoyed the roller coasters, but also the atmosphere.

?I loved Great America because I had never been on a real roller coaster and I got to ride my first on the trip,? Kira Armbruster said. ?I was nervous when we were in line for The Demon ride. But after I got off, I was excited to go try more scary coasters.?

After their afternoon of thrills, the class reloaded the two charter busses and headed for the Embassy Suites just outside of San Francisco. For many, the time at the hotel was the most memorable.

?Monday morning at the hotel we had four hours before we had to be on the bus,? Tim Wilborn said, ?so Andrew King and Chapman Hutchins and I went down to the beach by our hotel. We went down and skipped rocks on the water and just talked. It was fun to just kick back and relax.?

The group spent the second day of their trip sightseeing around Pier 39 before taking in a show at the Orpheum Theatre in the evening.

?Seeing Peter Pan was awesome because it was really fun and it made me feel like a little kid again,? Jordan Hogue said. ?My favorite scene was when the Lost Boys and the Indians became friends and they started a massive drum number. That was really cool and fun to watch.?

For many seniors, day three in the Bay City was the most memorable- especially for the mall and sports fanatics. The class spent several hours shopping in the infamous Union Square, catching sales at Macy?s, Urban Outfitters, and various other stores.

?Shopping in Union Square was awesome because they had so many different stores that we do not have in Fresno,? Joelle Grimes said. ?H & M and Urban Outfitters were great because I could get cool stuff that no one else has at home. They also have really cute styles.?

After spending the majority of their time shopping and sightseeing, the baseball fans were granted priority as they watched the Giants defeat the Cardinals, 9-2.

?The game was great; I was excited that the Giants won,? Endicott said. ?It would have been nice to see Barry Bonds hit 715 but I would rather have the Giants win than see that. The best part of the game was just sitting in the stands with everyone and seeing everyone stand and cheer when Bonds came up to the plate.?

While the itinerary provided a jumpstart for entertainment, many seniors would argue the greatest memories were created spontaneously.

?One of my greatest memories of the trip was when we were down by Pier 39 feeding the pigeons our clam chowder bread bowls,? Rebecca Wilson said. ?Andrew King took his and threw the entire bowl on the ground. All the pigeons were so confused and did not know what to do with the bread. It was so funny because it was so random.?

With senior trip past the class now anticipates graduation, which will be held in the Peoples Church sanctuary on May 25 at 7 P.M. For more information on graduation, contact the high school office at 299-1695, ext. 5.