MUS Class of 2018 Reunites, Now as High School Graduates

Bustling laughter and a sense of nostalgia filled Lower Manning Park on May 30th, as Montecito Union School alumni and their families reunited after six years, amidst an array of parent-provided sweet treats. The class of 2018 MUS graduates, now the class of 2024 high school graduates, woke up bright and early on a school morning to gather just below their old school for the first time since their sixth-grade graduation.

“I haven’t seen some of these people in six years, yet we caught up as if no time had passed at all,” Laguna Blanca School senior Sasha Drucker said.

The potluck, organized and set up by several MUS parents, including Amanda Twinning and Device Pires, included cupcakes, monkey bread, watermelon slices, and a variety of other refreshments, which were enjoyed amidst lively conversations as the graduating seniors caught up with their childhood friends. The parents’ generosity and dedication exemplify the everlasting sense of community that continues to flourish, even after all these years.

“A highlight was getting to see how much everyone grew and changed over the years,” said Santa Barbara High School senior Solace Corey. “It’s an odd but exciting feeling to see and reconnect with the people I grew up with.”

Some of the schools that the MUS class of 2018 currently attend include San Marcos High School, Dos Pueblos High School, Laguna Blanca School, and Santa Barbara High School, among others. The list of colleges the seniors will be attending in the fall is even more diverse, ranging from local colleges to universities across the country. An ironic sight was displayed as these graduating seniors, adorned mostly in their college sweatshirts, migrated from the picnic tables to the playground they once enjoyed as children.

Photos were taken and old memories were exchanged. As the families dispersed to their cars, bringing the bittersweet reunion to an end, the faint sounds of current MUS students could be heard from the school’s campus up above.

“It was wholesome seeing my old MUS community hanging out together,” said Santa Barbara High School senior London Moro. “Watching old friend groups collaborating and friendships laughing together again was very sweet. I hope to keep doing reunions as we get older in life.”