Gulf Breeze High seniors brave heat and humidity to mark their parking spaces
For the past week or so, the upperclassmen – and sometimes – their parents have spent mornings and evenings personalizing parking spaces at the high school with college logos, tributes to the Blue Angels, popular album covers and even some 1980s-themed artwork like a Pac-Man game board and that 'Don't You Forget About Me' closing scene from 'The Breakfast Club.'
One creative senior even painted a MASON-OPOLY game board complete with 'Go To Detention' and 'Collect Diploma As You Pass GO' corners.
The annual Painting of the Parking Spots – as it is known – started in 2017 and continues each year with nearly 500 seniors competing for 338 premium parking spaces (245 in the front and 93 in the rear) of the high school.
This year, the parking spots went for $120 ($20 for the school parking permit, $100 for the space) and sold out within two and half hours after the sale started on July 1, said Parent Teacher Student Organization parent-volunteer Ashlee Vernon.
Proceeds from the sale are used to provide $200 and $400 grants to Gulf Breeze High teachers in the fall and spring semesters.
'The grants have been used to buy air conditioners, a dishwasher, books, calculators and other incentives,' Vernon said. 'These are needs-based grants, and we don't turn anyone down. The teacher only needs to apply.'
Hannah Su describes the event as a cherished tradition for seniors. Hannah, the SGA secretary-treasurer, has been waiting four years to decorate her parking space. As a freshman, she helped her older brother, Davin, paint his spot.
'He was into Formula 1 racing and cars so me and my parents helped him paint an F1 logo on his space,' recalled Hannah, who transformed her spot into a coy fish pond. 'I started looking for inspiration at the end of my junior year and finally decided just before the parking spaces went on sale.'
For SGA president Brant Peterson, the event is a beloved family tradition. His older brothers, Barrett, 20, and Jase, 22, also painted their parking spots as Gulf Breeze seniors.
He said a little bittersweet this year – especially for his parents – Jason and Shanty Peterson.
'I'm the youngest, so this is it for my parents. It's something that they always looked forward to. We all helped my brothers paint their spots as seniors,' said Brant, who emblazoned his spot with a golf ball on a tee. 'I just got into golfing about six months ago and I really enjoy it. And this is a way for me and other seniors to let underclassmen know what's important to us.'
Despite temperatures in the mid-90s, Hannah and Brant said the weather wasn't intolerable.
'I started last Thursday and finished up yesterday. The heat wasn't that bad until Monday when it was really hot,' Brant said Tuesday morning when temps were already in the 90s.
Hannah said she and her family – parents Viet and Tuy Su and Davin – stayed hydrated and got it done in about two days.
'It's really a lot of fun because you get to see everyone who you haven't seen over the summer. And it's kind of emotional because you realize this is your last year of high school,' she said.
Melanie Bell, a Gulf Breeze High algebra II teacher and Class of 2018 alum, recalled the day when she painted her parking spot. The spots were $50 then, Bell said, adding she and her father, Mike Bell, painted a sailboat.
'I was really into sailing and had just moved to Gulf Breeze from Atlanta my junior year. My parents didn't care about the cost because I was so excited,' said Bell, who also met her husband, Cole Wilson, at Gulf Breeze High. 'His parking spot was just two down from mine.'
The seniors have yearlong access to the parking spots – starting on the first day of classes until the end of the school year.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Gulf Breeze High seniors paint parking spots
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