After Proms Save Lives

High school is a tumultuous time, chockfull of both happy and anxious moments. It’s one of the most memorable times in life, and of all the well-remembered experiences it provides, one that stands out is prom. From public to private schools, proms have become pivotal events in a high school’s spring calendar, second only to graduation ceremonies. Like other significant high school rites of passage, Prom has the potential to be a joyful celebration on the road to adulthood or a milestone for sadder memories.

The history of proms spans back more than a hundred years. The word prom is short for promenade—a formal march that guests participated in before a ball. The first proms in the U. S. were similar to tea socials, with students dressed in their Sunday best. Over the course of the 20th century, proms became more lavish and expensive. In addition to adding special traditions like reservations for supper in a formal restaurant before the dance, some troubling ideas and tragic consequences became attached to proms. As prom evolved into one of the rites that mark transition into adulthood, some adult behaviors, which are inappropriate for high schoolers, became associated with it, such as alcohol consumption. Injuries and even deaths were a result.

In order to keep teenagers safe, many schools, from public to Catholic high schools, created after prom parties. After proms first appeared in the 1980s and were so popular—with both teens as well as the adults who wanted to protect them—that they proliferated in the 1990s and are a staple of proms everywhere today. In the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, almost all the Catholic high schools who schedule a prom also arrange an after prom.

After proms add to the celebration, enriching the prom-goers’ experiences of this memorable night with a great variety of activities and refreshments. Although safety is the foundation of after proms, the goal is fun. The attractions offered at an after prom, need to have enough appeal to make students want to attend more than any other option available to them after the prom itself winds down. Here’s a partial list of what a school might offer today at an after prom party:

Rock climbing walls or giant Velcro® walls

Sumo wrestling performed in the sport’s inflatable suits

Karaoke

A variety of great prizes, like iPods, that are awarded only at the end of the event

Giant screen video games and movies

Inflatable obstacle courses

Bungee runs

And of course, a better selection of food and drink than only the most well-stocked family pantry could offer.

Students who attend are usually not allowed to leave a high school’s after prom until it ends (unless a parent comes to pick them up). But with attractions like these, most students are happy to stay. Many even say they enjoy the after prom more than the prom itself.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, every prom weekend, 50 teens die in car crashes and another 5,000 are injured. These heartbreaking numbers can be lowered, and prom can be made one of the happiest, most joyful times in high school, if good choices are made regarding what to do after prom.

About the Author:
Laurie Cornett Cross is the Marketing Liaison for Archdiocese of Cincinnati Schools, a private school system that includes Catholic early childhood education, Catholic elementary schools, and Catholic high schools.