BAKERSFIELD, CA - Wasco High School's homecoming was uninterrupted even though someone tried to ruin it.
Kern County Fire investigators say someone set two of their homecoming floats on fire Friday morning.
"I couldn't believe it. I was like No. This isn't happening. Why would somebody do this," said Freddy Maldonado, a junior at Wasco High.
Cell phone video caught the flames just before 3:30 Friday morning as all four class floats sat at the end of the football field.
Principal Kevin Tallon says firefighters found matches left behind by someone who tried to scorch homecoming hopes.
"I had one student come and said we have to cancel homecoming and I said no way. There's no way you can do that," said Joaquin Castillo, a class adviser and teacher.
Instead, the students spirited on, and a community help lift them. Home Depot donated supplies, Colombo Construction let them use equipment, and Wayne Johnson Trucking lent them a trailer. The juniors and seniors spent Friday rebuilding one float together.
"Like, they are giving us advise for next year and we are taking it as a learning experience," said Maldonado.
"You know we are just going to keep on moving forward with a positive attitude, said Ashley Gomez, Senior Class President.
"There's been such an outpouring of support we have more than we need and it makes me very proud, very proud to be part of this community and part of this school," said Principal Tallon.
It's a homecoming these students might not forget and an unexpected lesson they all learned.
There are going to be problems, but you deal with them like a tiger.
"In the morning it was tears. Now there's smiles and laughter," said Maldonado.
"We have a lot of spirit, a lot of school spirit. And, when you have that behind you, clearly not even everything burning down around you can stop it," said Castillo.
The Kern County Fire Department is investigating. If you have information on the fire, you're asked to call 1-877-FIRE TIP.
Kern County Fire investigators say someone set two of their homecoming floats on fire Friday morning.
"I couldn't believe it. I was like No. This isn't happening. Why would somebody do this," said Freddy Maldonado, a junior at Wasco High.
Cell phone video caught the flames just before 3:30 Friday morning as all four class floats sat at the end of the football field.
Principal Kevin Tallon says firefighters found matches left behind by someone who tried to scorch homecoming hopes.
"I had one student come and said we have to cancel homecoming and I said no way. There's no way you can do that," said Joaquin Castillo, a class adviser and teacher.
Instead, the students spirited on, and a community help lift them. Home Depot donated supplies, Colombo Construction let them use equipment, and Wayne Johnson Trucking lent them a trailer. The juniors and seniors spent Friday rebuilding one float together.
"Like, they are giving us advise for next year and we are taking it as a learning experience," said Maldonado.
"You know we are just going to keep on moving forward with a positive attitude, said Ashley Gomez, Senior Class President.
"There's been such an outpouring of support we have more than we need and it makes me very proud, very proud to be part of this community and part of this school," said Principal Tallon.
It's a homecoming these students might not forget and an unexpected lesson they all learned.
There are going to be problems, but you deal with them like a tiger.
"In the morning it was tears. Now there's smiles and laughter," said Maldonado.
"We have a lot of spirit, a lot of school spirit. And, when you have that behind you, clearly not even everything burning down around you can stop it," said Castillo.
The Kern County Fire Department is investigating. If you have information on the fire, you're asked to call 1-877-FIRE TIP.