Oh, What a Night!

There is something almost magical about getting dressed up for prom and dancing the night away under glittery decorations with all your friends. By the time they are high school seniors, many have heard their parents’ prom stories, the good and the bad. And with their own prom coming up soon, students share their excitement for what they hope is a memorable evening. Their parents even divulge some of their prom memories.

Memorial High School
Matt Runkel
A Memorial High School senior, Matt has not yet asked his date for the prom, but when he does, he has some ideas up his sleeve for popping the question. “I am thinking of hanging a banner in the school hallway or scattering rose petals from the front door up to her room, with the question in something sitting on her bed,” he shares. Matt is planning on letting his date take the lead on what color his tie should be, “so we look good when we walk in together.” With hopes for a perfect night because “this is the last dance our class has together,” Matt hopes the DJ plays ZootSuitRiot. “That’s the number one song I want to hear.”

Mom Susan Runkel shares some memories from her school prom in El Paso as Matt prepares for his big night. “My mother made my dress. She saw it on a model in El Paso and designed it from a sketch she quickly made. It was navy blue with white polka dots and ruffles. The night before, I remember my boyfriend stayed up until 3 am helping my mom finish sewing on the ruffles, which were stretched across the length of our house. Costing $15, the dress is still in use. My daughter wore it recently to a sorority dance,” Susan said.

Paul used this painting to ask Ellee to be his date for the prom.

Paul Richards
Another Memorial High School senior who wanted to ask his date to prom in a cool, romantic way, Paul painted the word “Ellee” creatively on a canvas. After calling around town, art gallery Bering and James, Inc. agreed to display his artwork.

“I always try to ask out dates in a creative way. My date is an artist. Her dad is a professional artist. I wanted this to be the ‘masterpiece’ of ideas,” says Paul. “The word ‘masterpiece’ then triggered the idea to ask her in a painting,” Paul explained.

In early March, Paul arranged for Ellee Stewart and a group of friends to visit the gallery for a Saturday outing, hoping she’d find the message without assistance.

Ellee and Paul have been taking salsa lessons with a few other friends, and hope to show their dance moves on prom night.

Paul’s mom, Amy Richards, is tickled by her son’s inventive way of asking out his prom date. She recalls her prom in Colorado Springs, when things seemed a lot simpler.

“My friends and I would trade dresses. So my one friend wore the dress I wore to homecoming to our prom, and I wore another friend’s dress. No one seemed to mind that we had all seen these dresses on other people before,” she says.

Memorial High School prom facts: Theme: Havana Nights
Venue: Four Seasons Downtown
After prom: Lock-in at Dave & Busters from 1 to 5 am. If kids are registered and don’t arrive, parents are notified. Activities include basketball, bingo, poker, raffles, snacks, and breakfast.

Kevin has some great ideas for a creative outfit to go with Kinkaid’s prom theme, Welcome to the Jungle.

The Kinkaid School
Kevin Clegg
Kevin didn’t agonize a minute over the right girl to take to prom—he always knew he’d be taking girlfriend Katherine Verity. In keeping with the prom’s theme, Welcome to the Jungle, this already laid-back Kinkaid student is considering dressing for the jungle in lieu of a traditional tux.

“I’m thinking something along the lines of safari, but I haven’t pieced the costume together yet,” he says.

Mom Beth Clegg fondly remembers borrowing a good friend’s mother’s dress for her prom at Bellaire High School in the early 1980s. “I remember feeling so special in the dress. It was light pink.”

The Kinkaid School prom facts: Theme: Welcome to the Jungle
Venue: The school’s gym

Andrew and Allison make an elegant couple in their prom attire. (Photo: www.andrewsphoto.com)

Stratford High School
Allison Kleiderer and Andrew Luck
A Stratford High School cheerleader, Allison is not one to leave details to chance. By February, she’d bought her dream dress. “I’ve always wanted a white prom dress. The first place I looked, I found it, and thought, ‘Why go anywhere else?’ ”

Allison thinks it will go perfectly with boyfriend, Andrew Luck’s, Scottish plaid cumberbund and tie that his grandparents gave him for Christmas. “I think prom is a great American institution and will be a lot of fun,” says Andrew.

Mom Pat Kleiderer has sweet memories of her Scarborough High School prom night, held at the Warwick Hotel. “The song that has stuck with me is Stairway to Heaven. It’s a long song, so you wanted to make sure whoever you were dancing it with was someone you cared about,” she says.

Husband Bob, a Lamar High School graduate, says he had the worst tux anyone could imagine. “Back then, people rented tuxes to match their date’s dresses. Mine was brown, with a ruffled shirt,” he said.

Stratford High School prom facts: Theme: Oh, What A Night
Venue: The Rice Hotel
After prom: Dave & Busters from 1 to 5:30 am. Lock-in will feature a snack buffet, breakfast, casino activities, prize drawings all night.

Episcopal seniors Dakota and Lizz are looking forward to their prom and after-party.

Episcopal High School
Lizz Dye
Senior class president, Lizz says she’s looking forward to the prom, but she’s equally excited about the after party. “I’ve heard it is a really fun time.” Lizz is going with EHS senior and boyfriend, Dakota Klaes.

Lizz’s dad, Phillip Dye, can now chuckle when remembering his prom in Wyoming. “It was a long way away from the fashion capital of the world. I wore a pink tux to match my date’s dress. Everyone had on different colored tuxes. There were a lot of pastels. I don’t think there was one black tux there.”

Episcopal High School prom facts: Theme: Haute Havanna Knights
Venue: The Plaza Club Downtown
After prom: Buses taking kids to a secret location from midnight to 6 am. Lots of surprise activities and food planned.

Wherever their prom plans take seniors this year, here’s hoping for a fun and safe night for everyone.