(June 17, 2003) -- At 7 a.m. on any Saturday morning, any senior in the right state of mind would be fast asleep, snugly tucked under his covers. Nov. 15 of last year was not just any ordinary Saturday, however, for the 58 seniors who attended the Senior Catalina Escape Day. For these seniors, thoughts of spending hours on an island surpassed the desire for a few extra hours in bed.

Packed with granola bars, chips, and bottles of water, members of the Class of 2003 headed for Long Beach where they boarded a boat headed towards Catalina.

After nearly an hour of sailing, the seniors finally set foot on the island to enjoy a unique experience. After being greeted and presented with Catalina floral necklaces, brochures, and postcards, the group was just beginning their day of escape.

Through group activities accompanied by chaperones such and Assistant Principal Joan Shoff, Principal Douglas Dall and teachers such as Julie Ann Melville, seniors took a scenic tour of Avalon and visited the underwater world via submarine.

Following exposure to the history and landscape of Catalina, students satisfied their empty stomachs with sandwiches and various other snacks alongside the shore. With hunger no longer an issue, the seniors spent the remainder of the time as they wished.

Varying from peddling through the quiet streets and bicycle courses to shopping in different stores with ice cream in hand, the group passed the last few hours of their escape in different ways.

As the sun set and tinted the sky with various hues of crimson, the Catalina Island trip drew to a close. After boarding the boat headed back to Long Beach, the seniors crowded together on the deck and waved goodbye to the island.