Story by Arlette Valdivia, Staff Writer | Photo Illustration by Hannah Kampitan, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Cypress College’s Classified Senate will host the first annual duck derby in the college pool to fund classified scholarships on Wednesday, May 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The Classified Senate is a governing body that gives the campus’s classified professionals, otherwise non-teaching staff at Cypress, a voice in supporting Cypress’s initiatives and goals for student success. The duck derby will raise funds specifically for classified professionals pursuing higher education.
“We wanted to come up with a way to fundraise for this particular scholarship annually; we started fundraising at the end of 2023,” said Christy Montenegro, the head chair of the Classified Senate.
Reflecting on the Duck Pond Race tradition from 1960 to 1980 at the campus pond, the Classified Senate decided to revive the tradition at the college pool.
The derby will start with a mandatory check-in where participants will receive details about their assigned duck number and a food pass to receive a free hot dog or hamburger.
Participants in the upcoming derby can purchase one rubber duck for five dollars, or five for 20 dollars.
450 ducks will be dropped from the high dive of the pool. They plan to use leaf blowers to create currents, helping the duck move across the water. On the other side of the pool, several color-coded goal posts will be placed as a finish line.
The derby will feature multiple winners and a variety of prizes, including gift cards and giveaways. Some standout prizes include VIP tickets to the Brea Improv, a Ninja Blast portable blender, and a night out at the Brewery package with a $40 gift card. However, the grand prize is four Knott’s Berry Farm passes, plus a parking pass.
Though the derby is the main event, there will be other activities to participate in, such as mini races and a chance to vote for “the most creative duck” in a duck decoration competition from student entries.
“For the decoration duck divisions contest, the prize will be a huge trophy,” said Montenegro.
For more information about the Classified Senate, email them at comontenegro@cypresscollege.edu or join their Zoom meetings held on the 1st and 4th Thursday of each month from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at this link.
