Prom 2009
May 17th, 2009My hunch that this would be a better prom than some was pretty much on target.
Part of that was the work put in by Colleen Mason, Andy Harrisson, and Monique Giroux. Everything, from the key-chain tickets to the decorations showed a great deal of care. It was obvious that considerable heart and time went into this.
But that’s always true. There was more.
Part of this was the class itself—as a class, they’re pretty impressive. We’re a long way from the mutterings in the halls that “our class sucks.” Our kids—all of them, not just the class of ‘09—have done good things, they know it, and they’re proud of it.
They’re a great collection of a great many wonderful individuals—and they were very individualistic, too. Usually, proms have a fashion sense, a prevailing trend in clothes—there wasn’t one this year, no prevailing mood. When everyone can choose whatever they want over the Internet, we see what they wanted to be, and not just what was available.
We’ll see more of that in the future.
Part of it was the overwhelming presence of adults. The no-contract years are behind us, and MRHS teachers and staff were out in force—and it’s amazing the difference that makes. Teachers spend so much time training and helping young men and women become adults—and those students want the recognition that comes from talking to their teachers on equal footing, of comparing vests with a Mr. Streeter or looking as dorky as a Mr. Hale usually does.
But it wasn’t just the faculty and staff—it was also the parents. I saw many moms and dads, and it was a great thing. A little salt can have the paradoxical effect of making something sweeter—and the kids were fabulously, wonderfully, perfectly gentlemen and ladies.
Of course, expectations were clear. Kids were escorted to their vehicles by staff or Swanzey police if they forgot or needed something in their car¹, and they were great about it. The presence of all three administrators was wonderful to see—it makes a huge difference. It was clear they were to have fun, to enjoy themselves, and be safe.
Some nights are rather sad, a little depressing. This one was not.
1 Or, in the case of a packed parking lot, a tired wife who wanted to head home early, and a boat of a vehicle, helped get everyone out without denting another vehicle. Thanks, Officer Chamberlain. ↺
