When each school year ends, everyone is thrilled. Vacation. Hot weather. Sleeping in. It all translates to nearly three months of summer bliss.

For many in the Grant community, thoughts about the school year don’t hit until just before Labor Day. But the school comes to life long before summer is over.

We set out across the campus during a 48-hour period to photograph the people who have spent a part of their August preparing for the start of school.

August 20

Early Arrival, Attendance Office 9:20 A.M.

Josie Mullet is the face of the attendance office, but she’ll be missing for a few months as she takes maternity leave. She spent a chunk of August getting her work done, in preparation for the arrival of her second child. “I am looking forward to a good year,” she says.

At the Starting Line

Portable Four 10:01 A.m.

Grant’s cross country team congregates before the first official practice of the summer, waiting to hear head coach Doug Winn’s daily pep talk. Last year, the girl’s team took first in the state championship meet. Winn likes the team’s chances this year. “I am dying to see the state race,” says Winn (at left).“We’re not saying we’re the best, but good things happen when you run heart and soul.”

Ball of Nerves

Gym 10:30 A.M.

Hopeful volleyball players size each other up as sophomore Jehdah Walker (in blue) gets ready to serve the ball.

August 21

A Fresh Start

Main Office 9:20 A.M.

New Grant students (from left) McCrae Kenney, Anaïs Crimson, Cally Lawrence, and Tess Fleming compare their freshman schedules. Hundreds of students flooded Grant’s office to find out more about their upcoming classes and their new school.“It won’t be too much of a change,” Fleming says.

Safety First

The Chimney 9:56 A.M.

Workers from the Portland Public Schools Facilities staff spent part of the summer making sure the giant chimney stack in the back of the school was retrofitted in case of an earthquake.

Two-a-Days

Football practice 1:15 P.M.

(Counter clockwise from left) D’Angelo Penn, Dominique Penn, Lyn Owens and Chris Lewis try to beat the heat during the week of daily doubles football practice. Though practice didn’t officially start until mid-August, most football players spent the summer lifting weights to get in shape for the season.

Heat and Ice

Bubba’s Cones 3:30 P.M.

Isabella Zehetbauer, a Grant sophomore, spent the summer dishing up snow cones at Bubba Cones, right outside the swimming pool entrance. The weirdest customer: a regular who would eat his large snow cone while watching her work. Once he even offered to help. Top perk of the job? “We can always make ourselves a snow cone,” she laughs.