You're Never Too Old for the Prom

On May 8th, I went to the Senior Prom.  No fancy dress… no flowers… no boyfriend on my arm.  But, this Senior Prom was memorable none-the-less.

That day, the Peck Place 5th graders, with their teachers and parents hosted a Senior Prom for about 80 senior citizens from the local area.  Rumor has it the kids invited everyone they could think of, and I was thrilled for them that so many people took them up on their invitation.  I had an interesting conversation with one senior who had brought his 'ancient' signed prom book, complete with the gold tassel; and, his wife’s name was written in it next to the dances she had promised him.  (You have to go back a ways to remember this tradition!)

The prom authenticated so many of the virtues of a ‘real’ prom – there were decorations, music, and a table full of good food.  Several of the students worked as DJ’s, playing a variety of tunes from both today and ‘back in the day’.  Other students arranged a backdrop and bench where you could pose with a ‘date’ and have your prom picture taken.  But, the greatest fun took place on the dance floor where the 5th graders and the seniors danced in conga lines, did the Macarena and the Hustle, twisted, and just had a wonderful time together.  It was a mystery as to who was teaching whom these dances.  

Events such as these are so important in a school community for a variety of reasons.  Certainly, a 5th grade/senior citizen prom helps to close that ever-talked-about ‘generation gap’ which has widened over the past decades as extended families became distanced by job relocations.  But more importantly an event such as this requires that students come out of their comfort zones and enjoy themselves by giving of their time, attention, and talents to others.   You couldn’t have been in the gymnasium with them without recognizing they ended their day with a positive sense of self, the spirit of altruism, and a sense of responsibility for the happiness of someone else.  Their teachers and parents knew this and came together to support them in this wonderful experience.

I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story…

(Race Brook families, I know I owe you a blog, so watch for your Race Brook Road Race in this spot!)