Schools

Prom and Beyond

Organizers have big plans for Hatboro-Horsham's first-ever post-prom event

Prom ticket for Hatboro-Horsham’s senior prom: $90. Dress, shoes and accessories for the occasion: $200 plus. Hairstyle updo: $50 and up.

Cost for an all-night after-party featuring food, a DJ, swimming, volleyball, racquetball, basketball, soccer, or just lounging and watching movies: 5 bucks.

Yes, you read that right. Organizers of Hatboro-Horsham’s first-ever Post-Prom - which is set to begin immediately after the school's senior prom on May 20 - are trying to keep costs low.

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“The kids already spend so much money on the prom,” event co-chair Craig Draper said. “The kids don’t need to attend the prom to attend the party. They can come at 11 (p.m.) when the doors open.”

And those doors would be at Philadelphia Sports Club, 1 Highpoint Drive in Chalfont. The party will continue until 6 in the morning, May 21.

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To keep tickets prices at a bare minimum for what Draper and other organizers hope is an annual shindig, lots of fundraising was involved to cover the bulk of the anticipated $20,000 price tag.

Hatboro-Horsham High School senior Melanie Martin is heading up a unique Post-Prom fundraising initiative as part of her graduation project. Dubbed the , the prom do-over for senior citizens is slated for April 23 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the high school. Melanie hopes to raise money for Post-Prom as well as the American Geriatrics Society.

Melanie, who is on the high school’s prom and post-prom committees, said high school principal Dennis Williams initially planted seeds for the “Senior” Senior Prom.

“You rarely see high school kids interacting with elderly people,” she said, noting that, as Williams pointed out, most students seem to prefer working with their peers.

Also inspired by the memory of her grandmother, who died in 2006, Melanie said she hopes to give back to community senior centers and nursing homes, including the one that supported her grandmother through the senior citizens prom.

“It’s definitely close to home,” Melanie said of "Senior" Senior Prom, while distributing event fliers at area nursing homes recently. “That’s just another reason why it piqued my interest.”

Curiosity was piqued for the Post-Prom event itself via successful Post-Prom events put on for Upper Dublin students, Draper said, adding that Hatboro-Horsham’s all-night party is modeled after Upper Dublin’s long-running event.

Erin Taylor, Upper Dublin’s former Post-Prom chair, said Upper Dublin’s Post-Prom has been going on since the early 90s. In recent years, she said between 80 and 90 percent of students have attended and hundreds of parents have lent support leading up to Post-Prom, as well as during the event.

“After the prom there were some issues with kids going out partying and getting involved with things that weren’t the best,” Taylor said of how Upper Dublin’s event got started. “It’s a great night put on for the kids. They’re safe.”


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