- June 21, 2025
Seabreeze's Brogan Kelly (left), Father Lopez's Adelae Fulton (center) and Seabreeze's Alec Phillips (right) pose next to the Tomoka Elementary totem pole at the senior clap out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Father Lopez, Mainland and Seabreeze seniors gather in the courtyard at Tomoka Elementary with a century-year old oak tree preserved from the original school grounds. It is the first group of seniors to return to Tomoka for the "clap out" festivities. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze seniors Adeline Bethea (left) and Anna Buckmaster (right) stand in front of the Tomoka Brave at the inaugural Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Beachside Elementary principal Melissa Cleveland welcomes everyone to the school's inaugural Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21.. Photo by MIchele Meyers
A Father Lopez and Mainland senior talk as they walk in the PE area at Tomoka Elementary at the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze senior Emily Powers (right) hugs Tionis Fordham, Tomoka Elementary's administrative dean at the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze and Mainland seniors join in the fun at the Tomoka Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze seniors sit on toadstools in the movie room at Tomoka Elementary during the Senor Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland's Jordan Payne and Seabreeze's Alec Phillips walk down the main hall of Tomoka Elementary at the Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mom Erin Fulton snaps a photo of seniors (left to right) Alec Phillips, Adelae Fulton and Anna Buckmaster at Tomoka elementary's Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Father Lopez, Mainland and Seabreeze seniors pose in front of a century-old oak tree preserved from the former Tomoka Elementary at the Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Anna Buckmaster finds pictures of when she was a student at Tomoka Elementary School at the Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland's Jordan Payne (left) looks for his elementary school pictures at Tomoka's Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Gavin Dioquino finds his elementary school pictures of when he was a student at Tomoka during the Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Isabella Mudge (left), Izzy Machado (center) and Logan Fletcher (right) search through elementary school photos at Tomoka's inaugural Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Isabella Mudge (left) and Izzy Machado (right) search through elementary school photos at Tomoka's inaugural Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seniors laugh about the elementary school photos of themselves at Tomoka's inaugural Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland's Abigail Peterzell (center) poses with her first grade teacher Amanda Shirah and kindergarten teacher Kristin Robinson (right) at Tomoka's Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland's Abigail Peterzell (second from left) laughs about old elementary photos with her first grade teacher Amanda Shirah (left), kindergarten teacher Kristin Robinson (second from right) and Marcia Peterzell (right) at Tomoka's Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Brogan Kelly (center) and Alec Phillips (right of Kelly) race Tomoka Elementary students at the Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland's Abigail Peterzell (left) hugs kindergarten teacher Kristin Robinson (right) at Tomoka's Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
A Tomoka Elementary student gives Seabreeze's Alec Phillips a high-five at the Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Father Lopez, Mainland and Seabreeze seniors pose in media center at the Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze seniors pose in the media center at Tomoka Elementary's inaugural Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze seniors pose in the media center at Tomoka Elementary's inaugural Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze and Mainland seniors pose with a former teacher at Tomoka Elementary's inaugural Senior Walk on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Kaily Annon (right) gives all her former elementary school teachers flowers with a quote attached at Beachside Elementary's Senior Clap Out on Wednesday. May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze senior Guarielyz Rivera Seise arrives at Beachside Elementary for the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Aiden Clements (right) walks with fellow seniors on the Beachside campus at the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze seniors Hannah Lieberman (left), Hafsa Khan (second from left), Isabella Serrano (second from right) and Guarielyz Rivera Seise (right) strolls the Beachside Elementary campus at the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland seniors Tianna Hamilton (left), Janessa Thomas (center) and Janiyah Giddens (right) grab a photo op before taking the stage at the Beachside Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze seniors Aiden Clements (left), Benjamin Barak (center) and Kaily Annon wait to take the stage at the Beachside Elementary Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze senior Guarielyz Rivera Seise (left), Izabel Holmes (center) and McKenzie Brackett (left) wait to take the stage at Beachside Elementary for the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze seniors Hannah Lieberman (left), Isabella Serrano (right) and Spruce Creek's Hafsa Khan (center) wait to take the stage at Beachside Elementary for the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland senior Janiyah Giddens (left) and Atlantic's Emily Mompremier (right) wait to take the stage at the Beachside Elementary Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze seniors Dimitrios Plakotos (left) and Joshua Yost (right) wait to take the stage at Beachside Elementary for the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Atlantic, Mainland and Seabreeze seniors are introduced to Beachside Elementary fifth graders at the annual Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland's Samhaad Savage participates in Beachside Elementary's Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze senior Joshua Yost (second from right) speaks to Beachside Elementary fifth graders about being successful in high school at the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Beachside Elementary School fifth graders clap for the seniors at the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by MIchele Meyers
Mainland's Janessa Thomas (right) tells Beachside Elementary fifth graders to, in middle school and high school, "choose the right friend group and get your work done" at the Senior Clap Out. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Benjamin Barak jokes about his former Osceola teacher Yahaira White at the Beachside Elementary Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Beachside Elementary's academic coach Yahaira White laughs at Seabreeze senior Benjamin Barak's story at the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze senior Kailey Annon gets flowers and a balloon from her brother at Beachside Elementary's Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Beachside Elementary's academic coach Yahaira White poses with Seabreeze seniors (left to right) Izabel Holmes, McKenzie Brackett, Benjamin Barak and Aidan Clements at the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Beachside Elementary's reading coach Meredith Gilbert poses with Seabreeze seniors (left to right) Sophia Lin, McKenzie Brackett, Margueritte Pittochi and Joshua Yost at the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Aidan Clements (center) walks the hallways with fellow seniors at Beachside Elementary's Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Beachside Elementary School students clapped, cheered and jumped as Atlantic, Mainland, Spruce Creek and Seabreeze seniors walked the hallways during the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Atlantic, Mainland, Seabreeze and Spruce Creek seniors pose with former teachers at the annual Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Beachside Elementary kindergarten teacher Melissa Heller (center) poses with former Seabreeze students (left to right) Dimitrios Plakotos, Mckenzie Brackett, Aidan Clements and Joshua Yost at the Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze senior Guarielyz Rivera Seise (left) and Aidan Clements(right) greet the students at Beachside Elementary's Senior Clap Out on Wednesday, May 21. Photo by Michele Meyers
Dressed in graduation regalia, seniors from Atlantic, Father Lopez, Mainland, Seabreeze and Spruce Creek arrived at the Beachside and Tomoka Elementary campuses on Wednesday, May 21, to take part in the annual Senior Clap Out.
Celebrations were also held at Pathways, Pine Trail and Ormond Beach Elementary.
This was Tomoka’s inaugural Senior Clap Out. Principal Julie Roseboom said it was nice when the seniors got excited about the totem pole currently located in the main hallway of the new school. It was relocated from their former school after construction was completed last summer.
The seniors also added a few extras to the celebration, including singing the school song and sharing memories of the oak tree that grew in front of the media center at the school’s previous location. They got a group photo taken in front of the tree currently planted in the courtyard.
“I loved seeing the children clapping for them,” Roseboom said. “When the seniors walked in, the kids stopped in the hall and looked at them in awe. I hope that that sparks their interest and understanding (about) why they are wearing caps and gowns — what’s next for them. It was amazing just to watch [the seniors] excited about where they had been and what’s happened to their school since they went away.”
We make such a difference. We don’t always see it until a time like this happens when they (seniors) come back and we see their smiling faces and their achievements. That’s when it comes full-circle." — MELISSA HELLER, Beachside kindergarten teacher
Triplets Emma, Hana and Kendra Uneda will be graduating from Seabreeze on Friday, May 30, at the Ocean Center. Emma and Kendra will be attending the University of South Florida and Hana will be going to the University of North Florida to major in psychology or criminal justice. Hana said she knew it was worth going back to Tomoka when she walked through the hallways and the kids started clapping. Hana said she hopes they look up to the seniors and want to be better and work harder.
“It definitely has a really big nostalgic feeling,” Hana said. “But also because the school is different after construction, it is bittersweet, in a sense. It’s like a coming of age.”
Beachside fifth graders cheered as 18 seniors took the stage. Seabreeze student Josh Yost will be attending the University of Central Florida where he plans on starting his journey toward becoming a lawyer. He has worked at Alfie’s in Ormond-by-the-Sea since he was a freshman and offered words of advice to the students for success.
“I think working in high school is a good thing — you need work ethic for your future life,” he said. “To succeed in middle school and high school, I recommend finding a group of peers who share common goals with you and have a support group around you to help you become a better student overall.”
Kindergarten teacher Melissa Heller was teaching at Osceola Elementary when they joined with Ortona and moved in to Beachside after it was built in 2023.
“We make such a difference,” she said. “We don’t always see it until a time like this happens when they (seniors) come back and we see their smiling faces and their achievements. That’s when it comes full-circle.”
