Valley teacher decorates grad caps for former students

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Valley teacher is helping to celebrate our seniors with a little bit of creativity.

Miss Potigian, or Miss P as her students know her, has developed a unique talent over the years -- decorating caps for graduating seniors.

"Kids found out about it, so every year, I would get tons of requests, and it just kind of snowballed," said former Minarets teacher Perri Potigian.

The Disney fan was a senior English teacher at Minarets High School for years, decorating nearly 100 senior caps for the class of 2019, but after switching schools, she thought her decorating days were behind her.

"I kind of thought the grad caps were over at that point," said Potigian.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she wanted to help her former students.

"I immediately thought of them and thought, 'I have to do as many caps as possible even though I'm not there," said Potigian.

Colby Jobinger, a Minarets senior, says after Miss P left, he didn't have big plans for his grad cap.

"I really had no idea what I was going to do with my grad cap," Jobinger said. "I knew I wanted it to be Disney or Harry Potter or something like that, but I wasn't going to be able to do anything close to her grad caps."

After their last semester was cut short, the district still made sure the seniors had a chance to walk with their cap and gown.

"It means a lot," said Jobinger. "Because I thought this year was ending in a really terrible way, but it was something I wasn't expecting, and it turned around."

Colby's graduation will air on the Minarets High School Facebook page today. He plans to attend Fresno State this fall and major in Ag Business.