Johnston High School Seniors cheered at graduation parade

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Dolores and Domenic Centracchio sat in lawn chairs outside Walgreens waiting for the parade to begin.

“We’re so proud of Grace,” Dolores Centracchio said as she handed her husband a life-size cardboard cutout of her granddaughter’s senior photo, mounted on a stick.

The brief sound of sirens blared.

The couple stood at attention as emergency vehicles, their lights flashing, crawled up the hill toward their spot.

The Centracchios waited for their granddaughter, Grace, a graduating senior, to appear.

The Johnston High School Class of 2021 rode in a graduation parade on Thursday, June 17.

The graduates met at the North Woods Office Park, and rode north on Atwood Avenue to the Johnston High School parking lot, where an ice cream truck welcomed them with Italian ice and scoops.

Parents, siblings and friends lined the parade route, on both sides of Atwood Avenue.

Susan Perrino, Robert Perrino and Kim Gaunt waited for Haley Gaunt to pass by.

They held signs and cheered at each passing car.

Kim Gaunt wanted nothing more than a photo of her daughter in the parade. She shouted down anyone who crossed in front of her camera.

“I was afraid she was coming next,” Gaunt explained.

She got her shot.

Floats carrying flower-faced panthers traveled the route.

Seniors stretched through moon-roofs and perched on the back of convertible back seats.

The parade marked the Class of 2021’s last night as seniors.

Commencement was planned for the next night.

After that, adulthood awaited them all.

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