Prom on Wednesday? NO WAY!

Students at Pearl River prepare for their Big Night - on a Wednesday instead of a Friday or Saturday. Image from the NYTimes.com -- http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/

2010/04/14/nyregion/14prom_CA0/14prom_CA0-articleLarge.jpg

This week, the New York Times reported that Pearl River High School of Pearl River, NJ held junior prom on a Wednesday and will hold senior prom on a Sunday in efforts to curb after partying.

Other schools around the country have held proms on weekdays for economic benefits such as cheaper social hall rental, according to the article, but students may miss school the following day. PRHS, on the other hand, requires all students to arrive by 7:34 AM the following day for class or they will not be able to make up academic work or participate in athletic activities. Harsh, huh? One student decided against going to his prom at RPHS because he "knows [his] teachers are going to be giving work that night. It just kind of kills it."

In the defense of the school, their PTA will be serving a fun breakfast in the morning followed by field day like activities until noon (then classes start up again) and partying had gotten very much out of hand. PRHS Principal Bill Furdon told the Times that, "By 10 PM, students were checking their watches and edging towards the exit to run out as soon as the King and Queen were crowned. Many pooled their money to charter party buses to carry them to Manhattan or the shore."

OK, so it was pretty out of hand. But I still think there are other ways to deal with a mess of after partying. In my town, we have curfew at 11 PM. When you leave the Junior Prom, the police on duty take your name or give you a slip of paper saying that you've left and are on your way home. All the cops know that it doesn't take all night to get home. There's a similar process for Senior Prom except that it's a pass to our town's Post Prom.

Post Prom: Parents of Senior students spend all year planning a crazy after party with prize drawings all the way until 5 AM for seniors. You don't have to attend the prom to go to Post Prom either. You just have to be a senior or a senior's date to the prom. Both Prom and Post Prom are breathalyzed to avoid the wild partying Furdon's on about and to keep students safe. Plus, Post Prom is free -- the parents do all the work and raise all the money to put together the five-hour party with a top-secret theme and assemble the prizes.

Prizes, prizes, prizes! The longer you stay, the cooler the prizes you can win - like flat screen TVs and laptops. You must be present to win though - meaning you can't skip out at 3 AM if you want the 5 AM prize. When students arrive at the Post Prom location, each senior is given a Senior Pack containing pencils and some prize tickets. The Senior writes his or her name on the tickets which they then deposit into various fishbowls for particular prizes. One participates in activities to win more tickets.

The extra awesome thing about Post Prom is that it rewards good kids. It gives you a place to go even if you otherwise wouldn't have continued your evening. You can win cool prizes and keep celebrating your class. On the flip side, it also keeps students safe.

Racine, WI - the self-proclaimed Prom Capitol of the World - also has a huge Post Prom party (although it makes ours look like a tiny dump). After an alcohol-related incident in 1952, the Rotary Club of Racine decided to create a drug-free, alcohol-free venue where prom-goers could continue celebrating. All 5 of the city's high schools feed into this one major party. The event is even televised to the whole town! (Serving a dual purpose: it gives the city a sort of holiday like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade AND students know that if they're dumb enough to try to go drunk, the whole city will know about it.)

So, lovely New Jersey school - I get your point. Students shouldn't go on mad-dangerous after-party escapades after prom - point taken. But Prom should not be held on a weekday. That's just wrong. There are alternative ways - such as awesome, parent or town run Post Prom parties - to keep kids from getting into trouble. And those are much more celebratory and less derogatory. Put my prom on a Wednesday and you tell me, "Good grief! You are such a bad kid - You don't even deserve that beloved American Tradition of Prom!" Give me a place to go afterwards and you're saying, "Wow - you're growing up. Let's celebrate that! By the way, stick around and win a flatscreen for your dorm room, OK?"

the prom chair

Source:

Hu, Winnie. "Holding Prom on a School Night." New York Times. 14 Apr. 2010. Web. 17 Apr. 2010. .

Also check out the related discussion topics and responses:

Letter to the Editor in Response to the Article

Prom an Excuse to Drink? - Learning Blogs

So You Say You Can't Dance?!

Everyone can dance. It's a basic fact. Our bodies were made for it (otherwise, we wouldn't have these appendages so long). So stop thinking, "Crap! It's Prom! I can't dance!" Because you can. It's like Ratatouille - anyone can cook if they have the confidence to give it a shot.

Still, some seem more natural than others. Why is that? What makes the difference between a good freestyle prom dancer (freestyle = unrehearsed or unchoreographed dancing) and just another bouncin' kid? Are there any tips for unlocking the dancer in you? Plus, what makes a good dancing song?

Freestyle Prom Dancing

You're going to hate me when you read this but it's completely true. To succeed in dancing, you have to dance from your heart and follow it through the steps. Dancing is really not a brain centered activity. Seriously - sit down and watch Dancing with the Stars on a Monday night. The stars that analyze and try to do it "the brain way" typically fail miserably in some manner (it's very sad :'( ). The best advice I can give is that you find something that really inspires you and dance to honor that. Focus on 'feeling' the music (some call this becoming a second antenna for the radio waves... I think that comes off kind of sketchy but I suppose it makes the point). Dance because it's important to you - your passion or the dancing itself. The moment you think about what everyone else may or may not be thinking, you're going to start losing it. That's also when things get awkward for you. The sad reality is no one else is watching you. Literally, everyone else is busy panicking about dancing in front of other people, too. So just start focusing on yourself - dance like no one is watching because no one is.

Small Note: Dancing with Someone Else/In a Group

Well, it's awesome for starters BUT if you don't 'listen' to your partner's actions and react, then it's going to be weird. Pay attention! It's about you and that one other person (or your group if you're in a group). Forget the rest of the world - just let it fall away (if it doesn't do so effortlessly). Make it about your partner/group and having fun together. If you know who your partner might be ahead of time (for example, s/he is your date), get together a head of time. Dance around to iTunes music in a parking lot or a yard or a friend's living room. Get comfortable with dancing together. You can even be a little flirty while you practice. Remember: It's ok to be embarrassed but at the end of the day... well, this little light of mine - I'm sure as Sam-Heck going to let it shine!!

Top Tips

1. Join the music committee or the prom committee so you know what songs are going to be played (or at least some of them)
2. Practice to iTunes
3. Break in shoes in advance (really - nothing screws up prom night quite like blisters exploding on your date at post prom -- believe me!)
4. (really a corollary to #3....) Wear socks while you break in your shoes. THICK SOCKS.
5. Practice in your shoes - get used to them. Ladies: walk around the house in your shoes. When you buy them, dance a bit in the shoes store - better to look stupid for 2 minutes than find out that your new shoes are too high or too tight or fall off when you twirl when you get home or worse - at prom.
6. Eat something! Before you leave your house - eat a slice of bread. Eat at dinner. Sure, follow the swimming rule and wait 15 minutes before you hit the floor (you don't want to puke) - it's worth it. Maybe worse than throwing up is passing out on the dance floor. Seriously - chaperones will come running and cart you off so some EMT can take your blood pressure twenty times.
7. IF YOU'RE WEARING A LONG DRESS: Get used to the length. Especially if it has any kind of train on it.

So You're Selecting the Songs, or Some of Them anyway

What makes a great dancing song?

One that magnetically pulls you to your feet, obviously. But where does that come from? A great song can ignite a passion in you - the best songs can do it for many people. If you're building a playlist for anything, consider all the different kinds of people who may be attending your event and put a little something for everyone. Balance your energies: if everything you play is bubbly pop music, people will get bored and maybe somebody's eyes will make a magnificent exit from her/his face. On the other hand, if all you play is slow, break up songs - well, it's your party but don't say I didn't warn you. Vary your beats and melodies, too. Bored people aren't any fun. Think about the most popular radio station and how it plays a little bit of everything. You can learn a lot if you listen to the radio for an afternoon.

Alternatively, if you're working with a DJ, give him or her a list of a few songs you want to hear or you know most people definitely want played. Let the DJ do his/her job and figure out the rest. A word of caution: be careful with requests. They can really overrun everything and upset the delicate balance. Try setting up a fish bowl with a pen and slips of paper next to it. If someone wants a particular song played, then s/he can write the song and artist down on a slip of paper and drop it in the fish bowl. Every now and then, your DJ can pull one or two out.

the prom chair

Our Math Teacher Stole the Prom Money?

Laurie Halse Anderson's Prom is about a school in Philadelphia called Carcaras High School. When the prom advisor/math teacher embezzles the students' money for prom a week before the Big Night, the prom committee, including Ashley Hannigan's best friend Natalia (incidentally, the Chair), must scramble to reorganize and recreate the whole event.

While all of Ashley's friends may be addicted to the prom madness, Ashley sees the event the way several cynical pundits do: a lot of money on an out-of-date evening from which the take-away is a bunch of awkward memories anyone can live without. Natalia, however, is obsessed. She always has the latest prom magazine in hand and she's the Prom Chair (which I can tell you takes effort). When the funds are stolen, Natalia begs Ashley to help. Ashley concedes to her friend but never anticipates that she might become the de facto chair. Low and behold, Natalia breaks her leg tripping down the stairs trying to break in her prom heels and gets stuck in a wheelchair -- the reigns pass to Ashley.

When I read this book, I was entertained by the parallels between Natalia's pink notebook and my computer to do lists and spreadsheets. Ashley inherits this notebook and cannot believe the to do lists Natalia had developed. She describes how it was overstimulating and overwhelming and scary. Anderson's portrayal of the responsibilities of the prom chair were impressively accurate. She really nailed it!

As far as prom advisors stealing the money and having to re-plan the prom within a week, well, that's a whole additional senior project. Natalia wandered through the halls essentially aimlessly and stunned for the first several hours after she found out. I'd probably come off like someone had hit me in the with a frying pan, too.

the prom chair

Citation: "Anderson, Laurie Halse. Prom. [New York]: Viking, 2005. Print."

Prom as a Cultural Right

Many have heard about Constance McMillen, the student from Fulton, MI who was denied her right to attend prom by her school board because she wished to go with her girlfriend. To that end, most bloggers have explored the unfairness and down right discrimination against homosexual couples in high school settings. Since there's a lot out there on the subject, I'd like to look at this from a different angle.

Do students have the right to prom? Or just the privilege? Sure, administrations make revoke a student's opportunity to participate in prom night in serious disciplinary situations but I propose that these extreme punishments do not obstruct the cultural mindset that every American student should have the opportunity to participate in this hallowed high school benchmark night.

As a society, Americans have been promoting prom as an institution since the 1950s. Today, the average American teenager spends $600 on the night (Katie's Project, TheSunNews.com). Money tends to show how seriously our culture takes something. $600 is a quite a bit. The perfect date, the perfect hair, the perfect dress -- most girls I know have dreamed about prom since they watched Cinderella for the first. Prom is our night to be princes and princesses - and our society takes that very seriously.

The 1980s heralded the cinema era for Prom. Hollywood commemorates the event in the vast majority of its teen movies, or it substitutes by concluding with some other large, prom-style dance. Pretty in Pink starring Molly Ringwald serves as a primer for preteens. More recently, Disney's High School Musical 3: Senior Year highlights society's value of prom. Troy drives 1000 miles from Albuquerque to Stanford in northern California to "bring prom" to his girlfriend Gabriella. He declares that there is no prom for him without her. He even brings a corsage, the flower traditionally worn on a girl's wrist at prom (usually given to her by her date), and slips it onto her wrist.

Given the media deluge and the amount of money spent on prom each year, it is evident that Prom is an ingrained American tradition - a cultural right as much as fireworks on the Fourth of July. To deny anyone this right for any reason other than severe disciplinary cases is plainly despicable.

Costs of Prom:

YouthNoise Factiods

TheSunNews.com

Troy and Gabriella Prom (YouTube Video)

the prom chair

April 14th Update:

Constance McMillen will be grand marshall of the gay pride parade in New York City this year on June 27. Sadly, her prom night was stolen from her but some good has resulted from her story. Constance, you got the word out there and raised awareness. We are all created equal. You fought for your rights as an American. When you march, you truly deserve that march so congratulations.

New York Times - Unwelcome at Prom, but Leading Pride Parade

the prom chair

Prom Shopping with Friends: I Dare You!!!!

A month ago, I posted "Sister Says" regarding shopping for a prom dress with family. As a follow up, here follows my follow up on searching with a friend.

First piece of advice: Go for a little road trip with your mum. Check out the options. Find out what your budget is and what your parents expect. Remember: in addition to the dress (or tux), there's the actual tickets, boutonniere/corsage, shoes possibly, and accessories.

Second piece of advice: If you have huge feet like me (I'm an 11. I kid you not) or a piece of family jewelry you want to wear to Prom, you should find the dress to match those items - bring them with you or bring pictures of them to show the salesperson.

With those things in mind, I suggest you head to a mall to shop with your friends. Malls are full of a variety of stores. They usually have a Macy's, Lord & Taylor and/or JCPenney -- all of which ship in 'occasion' (prom) dresses. A tip about the department store dress: someone else will likely have that gown. Maybe even in that colour.

The last two days, my friend who is attending Prom for the first time this year and myself have had no school so we headed to a nearby mall with our mums. Since I have a dress, the focus was on her. On the way there, I asked her to describe what she's looking for. Every girl has some aspect of their dress picked out somehow. They've seen it in a magazine or on TV or they had a dream about it. One girl I knew wanted her party dress based on a Barbie she'd had 10+ years ago.

When we arrived, we explored a variety of colours to find out what palette best fitted her complexion. We also tested a variety of lengths to find out which was the most comfortable and appropriate. Our mums were a great help because they could do zippers. My friend's mum did her zippers for her which makes it less awkward if you're a very modest person. After a while, we were choosing dresses for each other to try on. That was a very lively, memorable experience. One of the great things about going to try out dresses with friends is that they will push you outside your comfort zone to try on something you wouldn't normally ever remotely consider. Plus, not every dress you try on has to actually be a viable consideration.

Each time my friend came out of the dressing room, my mum and I made her 'road test' the dress. You don't buy a car without driving it. It's the same thing: you don't buy a prom dress without dancing in it. If you can't dance in the dress at the store, it's going to be a nightmare Prom - which is a dance, some people forget. Another tip: Bring a camera or a cellphone camera with you. Don't buy a dress the first day. Sleep on it, consider the photos, talk it over with your parents. Personally, I do wish I'd had a camera when I went with my family. I remembered one when I went with my friend and we had a blast going through the pictures later.

My Aunt Shari: Amateur in Floral Arrangements

My Aunt Shari is so cool. When she came up to visit early last May, she arranged some roses for my mum's Kentucky Derby Party. Recalling this, I decided to phone her up to get the scoop on florists and DIY flowers. Another great resource has been (please don't consider me crazy!) Real Simple Weddings. Pages 68-81 are all about flowers. While it may be geared towards weddings, the advice is very applicable to prom and the colour and flower charts have been very useful. Committee and I have also explored local options and prices including Stop & Shop, a wholesale plants nursery called Valley View Wholesale Greenhouses, Bon Fleur (a flower boutique in our town), Food Emporium and Stew Leonard's floral section. While these trips are time consuming, they have also been very useful and educational. It's important to explore all of your options, consider your theme, your colours and the overall ambience you want to create.

An Interview with Aunt Shari:

Her parents and now her sister used to be florists. Having been around the industry, she knows a bunch of the tricks....

Where do you look for inspiration when you do flowers?

In some ways, I look at nature to see what's growing and around. I sometimes also look at books. Sometimes, if I saw something a while ago, I'll pull that from my own experience.

Have you done your own arrangements?

I have but I'm kind of limited. I've seen some really cool ones where they've tied up roses together in a long stemmed vase. It has kind of a topiary look. They're great for like a buffet table. And they're quite easy to make. (For Aunt Shari's Rose Topiary Trees, see the end of this post)

When you're looking for a florist, what do you look for? What are the 'tells' of a great florist?

When I'm looking for a florist, I want to know if they're doing up-to-date work. I look for blown-glass vases - it's their job to find you vases that don't cost too much - kind of light (versus heavy) glass. I know they're good if I can look through the glass and see the stems - no 'oasis', aka floral foam. If they're really good, they make a grid with floral tape and stick the flowers in and it keeps the flowers in position.

What's your ideal arrangement?

I guess I like something with birds of paradise or ginger - it gives you a big, modern look with fewer flowers. I think those are stunning, the modern arrangements. Those flowers just grow in places like San Diego, just out in the yard. They're so exotic!

On a budget, if you were ordering centerpieces for 40 tables, what would you pick out?

If I were to pay to have an arrangement done, I'd probably get a spring mix because I know I'm getting the biggest bang for my buck. Plus, if you do a mixed spring, you wouldn't have to make all the arrangements match as much. If I had that many tables, I'd even through in some ferns on a couple of tables.

What exactly goes in a spring mix arrangement?

It's going to be whatever the florist has on hand. Probably some mums, spider mums are really good looking. There's going to be some filler flowers. Perhaps some stargazer lilies, carnations or pixie carnations. The florist can help you make selections.

How about for cocktail or buffet tables?

Cocktail tables - you can almost just skip them. People

often leave dishes on them. They just aren't that important.

Buffet tables - First, you need to know if your buffet table serves both sides. If it is serving on both sides, you need a round arrangement (so it looks pretty on all sides). If it's only serving on one side, you can get a linear arrangement. Plus, you don't want your flowers down in an oasis (in this case, a low-lying bowl). Really, if you're going to get someone to make the arrangements, you want clear vases with stems showing - it's very up-to-date. Yo don't want a basket - baskets are from the 70s and if they use a ribbon, you probably want a sheer one and keep to a minimum. The rose topiary trees can also have good height on a buffet table - try one at either end.

Tips and Tricks

• If you're trying for a theme, your flowers affect that ambiance. Flowers like roses, ginger and birds of paradise are elegant. Stargazer lilies and roses are very classy. Mixed arrangements containing daisies, daisy mums or carnations are less formal.
• The most expensive times to buy flowers is Valentine's Day. Then, the price fluctuates until Mother's Day when it spikes again. The cheapest prices are in the middle of the summer.
• Flowers should always be 1.5 or 2 times the height of the vase.
• Sometimes, a florist will make what's called a "European garden" which is a combination of cut and planted flowers. They aren't long term (Don't think 'house plant' or 'biology class extra credit'). "I think they're stunning," related Aunt Shari with a vigor.
• People usually go for height, especially on buffet tables. Gladiolas are great for a mixed spring type thing with carnations and mums.

How to Tell if Roses will Last:

Lightly pinch the head. If it's firm, it will last longer. If it's soft, it won't last as long.

Aunt Shari's Rose Topiary Trees

You will need: 6-8 roses per tree, vase, sheer wired ribbon, marbles, floral tape (or use your sheer ribbon), gloves in case of thorns

1. Cut the roses and put them in warm water so that they drink it up
2. Pull those stems together
3. Put them down in the vase
4. Tie with floral tape or ribbon just below the heads of the roses at the top of the vase
5. Add some water
6. Add your marbles (to hold the roses upright - otherwise they will fall to one side)

Prom Around the World - Celebrating the End of Secondary School Education

Most are familiar with the drill: the last dance, king and queen, ball gowns and tuxedos - it's that scene from the end of every American teenage movie since the 80s. Prom is widely considered a decidedly American affair but is that actually true?

Prom is the final party a Class experiences before graduation. If ever there was a fountain of youth, it's the Prom. The event could be viewed as the first step on the bridge into life after high school (Graduation, of course, is the final one). The night is filled with imagination and partying but it has a sense of elegance and maturity about it, too. In this sense, prom is a universal affair. Nearly every country's secondary schools have a last dance for graduating students. Names and traditions of these dances at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prom. I used to attend an all-girls' school in London, England. Even they had a prom - called "Leaver's Ball" - honoring upper-sixth form graduating students.

The magnitude of these events varies, however. In some countries, Prom isn't to big a deal. Even within the United States, 'promitude' changes from place to place. While researching, I discovered a documentary (http://www.snagfilms.com/films/watch/the_worlds_best_prom/?utm_source=www.worldsbestprom.com) about Racine, Wisconsin. Since 1953, Prom has been the business of this population 85 000 town. All five high schools feed into one $30 000 - budgeted post prom hosted by the Rotary Club. The whole event is televised and commentated. One group of seniors rode an elephant to the night's events in 1988. According to the Class of 2000 seniors interviewed for the documentary, you stick out 12 years of Racine education just to go to Prom. Others just have prom in the school gym and go home.

Perhaps the truest mark of prom's universality is that similar events are now held in former Soviet Union countries. During the Cold War, the Soviets observed Prom as an inherently American, capitalist endeavor - and heavily discouraged them in Eastern Bloc schools. Many of these countries, including Slovenia, Lithuania and Slovakia, now have their own Last Dance traditions.

Dear Graduating Class of 2010ers: Congratulations! And when you attend your Last Dance, think about how cool it is that our global peers are doing the same thing. :)

the prom chair

http://www.promguide.com/articles/high_school_prom.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prom

http://www.worldsbestprom.com/

Prom Through the Ages: 1960s

The 60s contributed some fashion edits and Rock n Roll to the Prom cause. They weren't really a milestone decade like the 50s. They just kept Prom going.

Dresses moved from the 50s cupcake, A-line, tulle variety to more simple, baby doll creations. These designs often had empire waists and basic design. However, they were still extremely feminine. Think early Barbie Doll dresses. At this time, they were often still handmaid like Nannie's (including the one pictured at left).

The major activity of Prom is dancing. The 60s gave birth to Rock N Roll music and provided the Beatles to us. That would not be enough to power through the Troubled Decade.

The 60s were fraught with turmoil. They were mid-Civil Rights, mid-Vietnam War and mid-Cold War. By the late 60s, Prom almost died as youth rebelled against "the Man" and the establishment. Prom, formally an institution of the Elite, was seen that way and the working class abandoned it until later in the reaction decade, the 7os.

1963:

- Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream Speech

- President John F. Kennedy assassinated

1964:

- The Beatles appear and become WAY popular. We still love them today

1965:

- War in Vietnam begins in earnest when President Lyndon Johnson orders bombing raids on the North Vietnamese.

1968:

- Martin Luther King assassinated

- Robert Kennedy assassinated

- Richard Nixon elected; first Republican to take Southern states in AGES

1969:

- Woodstock concert: Anti-Vietnam doves fight the establishment in earnest.

- Apollo 11 puts man on the moon

Image courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Museum.

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/

Historical Background on the decade courtesy of APUSH last year and

http://www.kyrene.k12.az.us/schools

/brisas/sunda/decade/1960.htm

"Sister Says..." ~ Shopping for a Prom Dress with Family

Shopping for a Prom dress with family is like coming full circle. When we were younger, we played Dress Up with our sisters (and forced our brothers into tutus... You know you did it). Pretending to be princesses, we'd swirl around and attend fantasy balls. My mum even saved her old prom dresses and would tell my sisters and I the stories behind them as we tried them on for tea parties with our stuffed animals. Now, I go with my mum (and this year, my little sister), to find the dress I will one day tell my daughter or niece about.

In a prior post, I mentioned that searching for and selecting a prom dress is an experience. As seniors, we're heading off to the next stage of our lives in the Fall. In my case, that's college - several hours away from home. I believe that in these last few months of high school, it's important to gather a few more family memories to remember in college. Besides, for me, it's been a fun mother-daughter thing.

The first time I had to find a prom dress, we were very last minute. I had looked through magazines for a while but we had not made an actual excursion. (My family is tragic with regards to online shopping, too. It's stores or bust with us). We headed out to a department store to try and tackle this one. I tried on a bunch of dresses while my mum helped me with zippers and sizes - like grown up dress up. Because it was so late in the prom dress season - last week of April/first week of May - we got it way on sale. We laughed as we pranced out the store with our steal. It was perfect until we got home and my mum realized I did not own a matching pair of shoes. I have size 11 feet. We hunted for DAYS. We were not successful in finding shoes until 2 days before prom - the night before my AP World History exam. That was stressful. The following year, I vowed I was going to take the pair of shoes I now had and find a dress to match.

Last year, I did indeed take my shoes with me. My mum and I decided to look more locally. In the next town over, we explored a variety of consignment shops. In one of them, I found the Cinderella dress every little girl dreams about. It was a pale blue ball gown that fell to just above the ground. It had a stunning, gorgeous, beaded bodice. It would have been perfect but it did not quite fit. Nevertheless, it's proof that consignment shops are worth the time and effort. They are perfect for finding a one-of-a-kind dress because often that gown has been discontinued or is vintage. Later that day, I made my first trip to my now-favourite dress boutique shop: Helen Ainson.

I've been to department stores and consignment shops. I have explored the online options. Nothing beats the boutique store. The ladies at Helen Ainson for example, truly care about you. They make you feel so special. Between my mum and Suzanne and Cynthia, it's the perfect place to feel like a million bucks. I remember my mum's face when I came out of the dressing room in my future Junior Prom dress. She had these tiny dew drop

s in her eyes. Pride emanated from her. It was priceless. We had such a good time.

This year, my mother and I returned to Helen Ainson - with my 10 year old sister in tow. We'd gotten a flyer that they were having a sale so we figured why not? Well, nothing quite tops your sister critiquing your dress fittings. My sister and I had been passing time going through fashion magazines and Seventeen Prom, playing imaginary dress up, critiquing the outfits. She turns up in Helen Ainson and, with Cynthia and Suzanne, picks out all three dresses I eventually actually considered. It was excellent! She was adorable! She had thoughts on everything! She helped me see reason, too. One ballroom style dress I tried on that fit me was absolutely stunning. I was sold. My sister, however, knows me well. I like to dance. She knew immediately that I could not be permitted to go home with that dress. Thank you little sister! The dress I actually did bring home, I wasn't going to try it on at all - my sister told me to: thanks to her, I have an amazing dress to wear in May.

I'm going to college. We're all moving into the next stage of our lives. Prom, like Graduation, celebrates a beginning and an end. Consider going out to look for a dress with your family. Whether you make a purchase or not, you will have one last Dress Up party to remember.

Thank you little sister,

the prom chair

Helen Ainson:

http://helenainson.squarespace.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Helen-Ainson/

Start Thinking About the Dress, Ladies!

I realize this is months in advance. Fine. The industry doesn't realize that. I've been receiving dress catalogues since early December. Seventeen Prom hit the shelves before Christmas. Google turns up 10 800 000 results for "prom dress".

The Dress is widely considered to be quintessential to a girl's perfect prom night (heaven forbid someone else have the same one). I disagree with that - you can have a wonderful time even if someone else has your dress or it rips. But it sure helps to be comfortable and feel beautiful in your gown. A little advance research online, in catalogues and teen magazines, your friend's closest, helps you get an idea of what you want. Plus, starting ahead of time lets your shopping experience with a family member, friend or by yourself truly be relaxing, magical and an experience - which it should be.

Dress Types

http://www.promgirl.com/shop/body_types

http://www.bestpromdresses.com/prom/2007/06/prom_dress_types.html

"Hot Prom Dresses for $100 or Less" Seventeen Magazine Mar. 2006: 74-75. Print.

When you go into a shop to look for a prom dress, you may want a particular style. Some sites, like the first one listed above, will recommend specific dress shapes based on your body type. Here, as the second site does, I will endeavor to provide an image and description of each of the dress shapes. Additionally, Seventeen Magazine in March 2006 featured a spread called "Hot Prom Dresses for $100 or Less" in which it suggested certain dress designs to suit the reader's style. These designations are also added here.

A Line/Princess-Cut Gown

Form fitted bodice flares out from your natural waist, typically to a full skirt. Recently, however, A-Lines have developed into bubble s

kirts. These dresses tend to stop just above or below the knee. These dresses are CLASSIC according to Seventeen.

Ball Gown

Its main feature is a very full, floor length skirt originating at the waist. The bodice may be cut and decorated in a variety of fashions. Visually, it slices the body in half. These dresses are very stunning but they can be very heavy. The hemming is often floor length or longer. Scientists are still trying to figure out how Cinderella waltzed in hers!

Bouffant Gown

The Bouffant is very similar to the ball gown. The main difference is that the skirt is usually made of a sheer fabric such as stiffened rayon or silk. Furthermore, it usually involves lots of tulle - the stuff from which Ballerina tutus are often made. It can be itchy (see rash comment below).

Empire Gown

Empires have a very high waistline, just beneath the bust. The skirt flows straight down from this waistline. Length can vary from above the knees to trailing on the floor. These kinds of dresses tend to add height to a person.

Audrey Hepburn was known for her Empire line gowns.

High-Low Gown

The front of the dress stops just above the knees. Meanwhile, the hem in the back may trail along the floor or cease at the ankles. These asymmetric lines have become very popular in recent years. Variations include dresses cut diagonally across the front. They can be ECLECTIC, FLIRTY or even ROMANTIC depending on the feel of the dress. These dresses also present a balance between long and short dresses.

Tea Length Gown

Hemmed to end between the knee and the ankle, these dresses are more laid back, fun and flirty. It's often easier to dance in this sort of dress because it is shorter. According to several sources, you're guaranteed to rock a tea length if you're tall, thin and have great calves.

Sheath Gown

Slim, fabric-mininal dresses that hug your curves. They outline the shape of your body. Many sheaths are sleeveless. Depending on the length and cut of the hem, these are considered ECLECTIC, GIRLY, FLIRTY, BOHO, GLAMOUROUS or ROMANTIC.

Mermaid Gown

A variation of the sheath gown. Instead of falling straight all the way down along your curves, these dresses fan out around your knees or mid-calf, like a fishtail. While beautiful, they can be movement restricting. This 2010 season, this design is VERY abundant. These are often considered to be very GLAMOUROUS gowns while their short counterparts are WILD.

Some dresses are composites of A-line, empire, sheath, tea length, and/or mermaids. It's a good idea to consider how you want to move and to explore dresses of a variety of lengths and designs. Only ball and bouffant gowns are more set in their shape.

Other Considerations when Selecting a Dress

• Check locally!! For vintage-y dresses - explore local consignment shops. It really works! You can find GOLD there. Boutique shops will pamper and be sweet to you, allowing you to have a personalized experience. Besides, return trips will be extra special because they will remember you and want pictures from the previous event.
• Are you a big dancer? Consider a shorter dress - you don't want to destroy the hem as you twirl up a storm. Also, try out your best moves in the dressing room. You want to make sure you can perform them.
• Beading, while elegant, adds POUNDS to weight of a dress and could make you feel sluggish or tired
• Are you comfortable? That pesky piece that pokes you in the changing room will bug you all night at Prom. It may even bruise or mark up your skin. One person I know got a rash once. Eek!!!
• Complexion: don't pick a colour that makes you all one colour or washes you out.
• Can I go to the bathroom? My mum is obsessed with this question... She's right though - you should make sure that you can use the facilities without assistance - because otherwise, that's just awkward.

Other Resources

http://www.cosmogirl.com/fashion/prom/

http://seventeen.com/prom

Hope this is helpful!

the prom chair

Prom Through the Ages: 1950s - an Interview with Nannie

Nothing beats a first hand account right?

My grandmother, Nannie, attended Prom in 1954 and 1955. She attended both the Junior and Senior Proms. Today, she shared her experiences with me. Thanks Nannie!!

So Nannie, would you tell me about your High School Proms?

We danced in the gym. There was a disk-jockey (D.J.) and we listened to old records.

What did you wear?

My Junior Year, I wore a yellow dress (at right). Senior Year, I had a blue one. Both were made by Big Nannie (Nannie's grandmother). We also wore flats, no heels -- we called them 'ballerinas'. My date wore a white tuxedo suit jacket and black pants.

Did you have a Class Song or Theme? What did the decorations look like?

We did have a Senior Class song but I can't remember what it was at the moment. The prom wasn't really decorated well - just crepe paper on basketball poles and loop-de-looped around the bleachers of the gym. There wasn't a theme.

Who'd you go with?

I went with your mother's biological father. He was in college and a wonderful dancer. We danced all night!

Was there any kind of after-prom?

Prom ended at midnight - nothing afterwards like y'all have now.

Did you have fun?

Of course I had fun! I loved to dance!

Thank you so much Nannie for your time for this interview. I really appreciate it :)

the prom chair

Prom through the Ages

This series of posts (all indicated by Prom Through the Ages in the title) discuss the origin and history of the high school prom in the United States. This first entry relates the basic, general history while subsequent posts will take a look at each decade, beginning with the 50s.

'Prom', short for 'promenade' (a.k.a. the formal march of guests at the beginning of a ball or some other kind of formal event), first appeared as the name of the customary Senior Class ball when an Amherst student wrote of his attendance at Smith College's prom in 1894. Interestingly, Prom wouldn't really make High School big time until the 1930s and 40s - when it started to make the Yearbooks.

Prior to its Yearbook days, Prom was a relatively small affair. While pres

ent in the 20s, Prom was a relatively small, conservative affair. Historically, the 30s and 40s were also not fund-friendly enough for Prom to evolve. All that changed with the 50s.

Following World War II, the United States entered an economic boom period. Consistent with its new found affluence, the American High School population began to develop its Prom towards the more extravagant parties we experience today. The tradition of Prom Court began (Prom King and Queen) and the dinner-dance started to move from the Gym to a local hall or hotel. The infamous Prom Dress Search also began in this decade. These developments marked a transition in the tradition: suddenly, Prom wasn't 'just another dance (or 'sock hop'). It began to evolve into more of a milestone in high school.

Then came the 80s: high school milestone to Lifetime Milestone. Hollywood declared Prom the pinnacle of the high school experience through their teen movies, including: Pretty in Pink (1986), Karate Kid II (1986), Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985), Valley Girl (1983) and Prom Night (1980). The 80s truly initiated the typical gripes about Prom: Who shall I go with? What should I wear? More famously, Prom Court became a mark of full-fledged royalty for a night - and even more so in the 90s.

The 90s continued the 80s tradition of the teenage movie. Some of the more popular works included Never Been Kissed (1999) starring Drew Barrymore, 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) and She's All That (1999) - and yes, remaking Shakespeare and the Classics in the image of the Modern Day was a theme ( 10 Things I Hate About You was a take on "The Taming of the Shrew" while She's All That attempted to capture elements of "Pygmalion"). All three of these films placed significant value on who might be Prom Queen, although the most extreme case was She's All That. In that film, the male lead declared he might turn any girl into Prom Queen in a mere six weeks - in a bet, naturally. With all of the attention from Hollywood, Prom continued to develop as an American Institution. Today, I'm trying to capture the history of what has become a momentous event.

So, sparknotes version: Prom was a small-time, end-of-year banquet for students completing their college educations. Now, it's a high-charge, cultural event where anything goes. Its transition was facilitated by greater affluence among the American middle class and Hollywood's teen movies (although it should be noted that without money, Hollywood materials, and therefore its impact, would be less prevalent.)

the prom chair

http://www.prettyforprom.com/prom-history.html

http://www.historyofwaterfilters.com/prom-history.html

40 Things to Find Out about Prom

More questions that I'll try and address with this blog. Feel free to send your own to nchspromcommittee2010@gmail.com :)

Girls can ask Boys to Prom. How has this changed over time? Do girls generally ask boys to prom? Who pays in this case?

How do you ask someone to prom?

What’s it like to go with a group of girls/boys/friends?

What’s it like to go with your crush who you’ve never talked to?

What’s it like to go with your just-a-friend?

How do people shop for a prom dress?

How do you ask the boy nicely to match your dress without giving away what your dress looks like?

How do you make a prom dress?

How have dress styles changed over time?

How have tux styles changed over time?

What are the different styles of dresses? Do they transmit different messages/have different purposes? What are those?

What are the different styles of tuxedoes? Do they transmit different messages/have different purposes? What are those?

What is the most popular colour for prom dress?

What is the origin of the cummerbund?

What’s the purpose of a cummerbund?

How do people celebrate post prom?

What goes into a pre-prom party?

What is the purpose of a pre-prom party?

What other forms of transportation are there to prom?

Who is invited to a pre-prom party?

How do you keep your flower after prom without it rotting away?

How do you make a boutonniere? Corsage?

What do different flowers mean?

What is a corsage/boutonniere?

What is the origin of the corsage/boutonnière exchange tradition?

How has Prom changed over time?

How much money does prom generate in the USA each year?

What made it the ‘night to remember’?

What was the original purpose of prom?

When and where was the first prom?

How many police officers/chaperones must you have per individual in attendance?

What happens with the police regarding curfew for both Senior and Junior Prom?

How does the media drive prom? Or is it the other way around?

There are many negative aspects/pressures presented related to Prom by the media. How many of those actually take place?

What are the common ‘rituals’ in preparation for Prom a week+ in advance? Diets, exercise class?

What are the common ‘rituals’ in preparation for Prom the day of? Do people skip class to get their hair done? mani-pedis? What do boys do?

How is the theme incorporated into Prom? Do people actually remember the theme and care about it?

What are the most common prom themes? Why?

How do people usually get to prom? not everyone can rent a limo

Why take a limo to prom?

the prom chair

The Inevitable Weather Disaster and Other Complicating Occurrences: The Meeting Cancellation

The weather outside is frightful, but HECK we have somewhere to go! Too bad - so sad. It’s slippery, it’s nasty, and it’s so not worth the risk. Cancel the meeting. How? What do we do in the interim? To what day do we reschedule?

Canceling will happen at some point. No matter what. Happened to me today actually. We had a freak snowstorm come out of essentially nowhere and drop four inches of precipitation (precipitating madness amongst my grade - parking lot snow ball wars anyone?). The Principal of my school wanted to know if our first meeting would be on or off (since it was off campus, he couldn’t cancel it himself).

To Cancel Or Not to Cancel: That is the Question

It’s a pain to cancel a meeting so you better have a good reason.

1. Are weather conditions safe for travel? Will people be able to arrive and depart safely from the meeting?
2. Is there a major conflicting event or some other reason that more than 75% of your committee cannot attend that meeting?
3. Are you prepared for the meeting?
4. How essential is this meeting for your timeline? Is the meeting time sensitive?

If you can, cancel the meeting in the event of foul weather or major conflict. It is better to reschedule so that more people can come than have it as scheduled.

If you do choose to cancel your meeting, make the cancellation announcement as quickly and as publicly as possible. Soon after, send out the date and time of the make up meeting.

Canceling is about safety and mediating between conflicting events. If conflicts keep occurring at the same time as your events though, stand up and be the Chair. Your Committee needs to know that Prom is a priority too.

the prom chair

What were we Supposed to do Today? ~ The Art of the Agenda

There is a difference between a meeting and a social endeavor. In meetings, a series of tasks and discussions are accomplished, propelling the group along to its eventual end goal. A social endeavor is basically a party and they tend to be less structured. I think that Prom Committee Meetings should be the best of both - all the structure of a good meeting combined with party atmosphere of the social engagement. This post focuses on the primary organizational tool of a good meeting: The Agenda.

It sounds horrific. The word “agenda” reminds me of board rooms, suits and brief cases. What would I want with any of that junk? I’m in HIGH SCHOOL! You only get to be young once!! But hey, my class deserves the best. To give them the best, one must have successful meetings. And so, I turned to my advisor to help me build an agenda.

My wonderful, amazing advisor showed me one of our school’s resources for teachers regarding the creation of successful meetings (see link at bottom). On this page, there is a downloadable file called “Agenda for Learning”. This agenda model directs you to focus on what you want out of a section of the meeting (Outcome), how you’re going to get your meeting attendees to achieve that objective (Process), what advance work you need to do as the Chair (Prework), who will direct that segment of the meeting (Person) and how long that piece will be (Time). The format forces you to think through every aspect of your meeting.

Do I really have to time out how much time I want each topic to have?

Bottom line: yes, you really do. It’s a PAIN in the butt yet it will be worth it. If you know how long you want to spend on something and you have a timekeeper watch your clock, your meeting will have to be concise. People will probably stay more involved, alert and be happier when you wrap up on time. Happy people are typically cooperative people.

the prom chair

Meeting Management

Date:	Time:	Location:
Leader:	Facilitator:	Timekeeper:	Minute-taker:

Working on the Work: The first hour or 70-75% of total meeting time

Purpose/Goal:

Outcome	Process	Prework	Person	Time

http://www2.newcanaan.k12.ct.us/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=20662&backPath=L2VkdWNhdGlvbi9jb21wb25lbnRzL3NlYXJjaC9zZWFyY2gucGhwP3NlY3Rpb25kZXRhaWxpZD04

Locating Leaders: Choosing Committee Chairs

Once you draw your volunteers, you have several options: (1) run the whole body of volunteers as a single unit by yourself, (2) Split the volunteers into committees and lead each committee by yourself or (3) Split into committees and select committee chairs to run the committees and report to you. While you might be the Prom Chair, you may actually want to enjoy the process a bit. If you overload your own schedule, planning Prom, I’m sure, won’t be as magical as you might have liked. This is where Committee Chairs come in.

I chose to have Committee Chairs because I believe that the responsibility of the Prom Chair is to coordinate the event and ensure that the night has good flow. While it is possible for one person to try and do everything, I know from past experience that it is more fun to work with people who are just as excited as I might be. It precipitates more ideas, it’s more enjoyable and the end product is even better. Having committee chairs allows me, as the Prom Chair, to manage all of the details, coordinate the night and guarantee strong fluency.

Of course, to have Committee Chairs, you have to pick them. Your best friends you know you get along with? The other major event planners in the school? Totally new blood? People out of the “Popular Crowd”? Selecting chairs (in my opinion) requires some sort of impartial application process, compromise and discussion with those whom you think would make great leaders in the Prom making process.

Chairing a committee is a commitment. I find it very important to make that clear from the get-go. Once I had collected volunteers, I used Facebook and Word of Mouth to ask people to ‘apply’ for Chairman’s positions. I figured that only people who were genuinely interested in embedding themselves in the Prom process would bother to write a paragraph on why they believed they would be strong Committee Chairs. This worked fairly well - I have an extraordinarily dedicated Music Chair, for example. Additionally, I can pull out the paragraph and point to the reasons I picked my Chairs. This is very important as I was criticized for selecting one of my closest friends.

The last semester of Senior Year of High School is busy for everyone. Sometimes, the person you want for Chair may not have the time to dedicate him- or herself completely to the task. Now, you have to compromise and ask your constituents to compromise. A good solution is co-chairing. It allows you to infuse a greater variety of well-qualified individuals into the project AND have the person or people you want in charge of that division as Committee Chair(s).

Naturally, any Committee Chair position is contingent upon your selected person’s time and decisions. Don’t forget to ask the person to serve as that chair and to discuss the responsibilities with that person. It would suck to get to May and find out that your Tickets Management chair has no interest in designing and marketing the tickets that were supposed to go on sale at the end of that week.

Point of Fact: Some people will complain about your selections and criticize you as a person for them. At the end of the day, it’s your decision - you are the Prom Chair. You can’t please everyone. So pick the most qualified people and have fun. You can’t let the fact that some people won’t be happy with your choices bug the heck out of you. Remember - you are the Chair.

the prom chair