Canyon Crest Academy Grad Night enhanced by parent’s ‘Camp CCA’

By Gillian Bramble, intern

Canyon Crest Academy holds an end-of-the-year graduation party called Grad Night where seniors can enjoy a safe, festive evening filled with games, food and music.

While the Grad Night is always a memorable occasion, parent volunteer Leslie Siegel has added a special element to the evening where students can show their support for the U.S. Armed Forces.

For the past three years, Siegel has set up an area that she calls “Camp CCA” where the students write postcards to the troops.

“Camp CCA” is dressed in camouflage and surrounded by props from the school’s theatre department to make it look like a true military outpost. The booth is supplied with postcards and pens; the only thing the students need to do is walk up to the booth and write the card.

“My idea is that they take a minute out of their social evening to do something meaningful,” Siegel said. “The activity has been very well received and some of the cards are really quite impressive.”

Siegel said they have collected up to 250-300 cards each year for the troops.

After students are finished writing the postcards they put them in a container that Siegel then takes to the Operation Gratitude organization (www.operationgratitude.com).

This year’s graduation party will be held on Friday, June 15, from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. at Canyon Crest Academy.