Mar Vista Class of 1976 Celebrates 35th Reunion

When you ask members of the  Class of 1976 what they remember most about their senior year, "streakers at graduation" ranks high on the list.

Reunion coordinator Dawn Quintero felt pretty confident there would be no streakers at this year's reunion.

"If after 35 years people are still streaking we do not want to see that," Quintero said laughing.

Saturday evening at Fleet Reserve Association Post 289 marked the fifth reunion for the Class of 1976, she said, since gatherings took place at the 10, 20, 30 and 31-year marks.

"Some people have said this is so much fun that we have to keep doing it," Quintero said. "We had so much fun planning the ten that we said we have to keep this up. And it's easier now with Facebook, so we just put things on there."

Other Mariners, when queried about memories from senior year, were happy to share.

Alumna Kelly Gillman said she most fondly remembers the friendships.

Alumni Kathi Hannan Schick, however, immediately recalled the story of senior ditch day.

"We went up to Cuyamaca Mountain and there were eight of us sitting in the back of a pick-up truck. No seatbelts, no nothing, just sleeping bags," she said. "We hung out in the campground being silly and playing football.

"And then it snowed. And on the way home we got rained on. And then we got caught."

"I think we all got detention," Hannan Schick said laughing. "It was on the news."