SNAPPED: Park City High School Class of 2026 visit former elementary schools

This photo shows merely one of the half-dozen elementary schools visited by VIP graduates around the Park City School District. Photo: TownLift // Michele Roepke

PARK CITY, Utah — A tradition took place on Thursday throughout the Park City School District as the Class of 2026 from the Park City High School was welcomed into their respective elementary schools for a hallway-lined clap-out by the current K-5th graders.

Trailside Teacher Ms. Giblin has worked there before, during, and after her senior daughter attended the elementary school, and walked through today.

Every elementary school in the District hosted their alumni for current-student clap-outs, and parents of the graduating students were invited and encouraged to attend the beloved annual tradition. 

Eyes welled up with ‘happy tears’ on the faces of teachers and staff who still work at the elementary schools from when these seniors started out. 

The staff printed enlarged pages from their year books from way back then. 

All photos: TownLift // Michele Roepke

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At Trailside specifically, a poster was shown and memories were shared for a then-second grader who tragically lost her life as a result of a medical emergency. Mackenzie Coyne would have graduated with this class this year. A Friendship Bench stands in her honor on the playground and a scholarship bearing her name has been offered  within the District. 

After figuratively, not literally, checking out books in the Library, the seniors literally stopped in their tracks as they walked past their old cafeteria. They could be overheard exclaiming how tiny and calm it looks today compared to how huge and kinda scary the room felt to them back in the day. 

The Receptionist made remarks over the school-wide speaker system about how these older students are good role models for the younger ones.

Trailside Kindergarten Aide, there since her daughter started there Ms. Klug, wore two proverbial hats as well. She A) lead her current class down the hallway and B) hugged her graduating daughter in her cap and gown in the school event. Ms. Klug told TownLift, “It’s a proud moment for everyone, on every level of the education community.”