CYPRESS : Duck Race Shows Off Fun Side of College

Cypress College celebrated the 20th anniversary of a campus tradition Thursday with all the pomp and circumstance of a fraternity party.

Since 1973, the college has welcomed visiting high school seniors to the campus with the Duck Race, in which teams of college students race across a shallow pond atop inner tubes.

A variety of student groups took part in this year’s event, while more than a thousand high school students and other onlookers circled the pond and cheered for their favorite teams.

“People (in the pond) get thrown off and pulled down. Everyone has a lot of fun,� said college spokeswoman Terri O’Connor. “It’s the typical thing college kids do in the spring.�

Many participants dressed in colorful outfits and--as is tradition--gave their teams unusual names.

“The mortuary science students might call themselves something like ‘The Undertakers,’ � O’Connor said. “People really get into it.�

She said the event is a welcome break for the high school students, who watch the Duck Race after a morning of tours through the campus’s assorted buildings and departments.

“They take a walk around the campus and see all the educational opportunities. This way, they also see the fun of college,� O’Connor said. “They are kids. They want to go where the fun is too.�

The goal of the day is for potential college students to become familiar with the Cypress College campus and get information about admission requirements, tuition costs and the curriculum.