The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Volunteer Lisa Bruce pulls out a backdrop that will be used for Homestead High School's all-night party on graduation night. Organizers keep the theme of the $20,000 party secret from the students until the event.

School volunteers try to keep students sober

By Steve Enders

Once a year, high school seniors congregate on their campuses for graduation ceremonies and one last party that will bring friends together, many for the last time.

Whereas some might take the opportunity to finish high school and enter adulthood with the tip of a bottle, many students now choose to do it on a sober note instead--at a party put on by their parents.

At Homestead High School, All Night Party organizers are expecting about 270 seniors out of a class of nearly 400 to descend on the school's campus for the send-off.

"The original reason it started was to keep kids out of their cars and off the streets," said organizer Barbara Armenta.

Homestead's All Night Party co-chairwoman Vicky Gilman said the parents have spent the entire year working on giving the kids a great party.

She said the toughest part of organizing the event has been finding enough volunteers who could dedicate the time necessary to produce it. Since September, different committees within the group have met about once a week.

"It's really fun," she said. "It's more than just a school dance."

The group of nearly 75 volunteers is continuing a tradition that's been going strong for about 30 years. Each year, the ideas and props used roll over to the next group of parents in order to save money and resources.

This year's party organizers have nearly a $20,000 budget and have received donations of money and prizes for the students.

Each All Night Party has a theme, which is guarded with the utmost secrecy by the parent volunteers so that it'll be a surprise to the students when they arrive that night.

For the party, the volunteers will create quite an elaborate set, and Homestead will be transformed into--well, that's something that can't be given away.

What Gilman could say is that everything down to the bathrooms will be decorated. The organizers have carnival games and theme rooms planned, as well as an elaborately designed entrance and exit. Casino games, lawn volleyball, a disc jockey, a barbecue and a raffle are also included to lure the kids to the party and away from their cars.

For $75 a ticket, students get the chance to stay up all night in a safe environment with their best friends.

Lesley Tanaka, a 17-year-old senior, has had to keep her ears closed for months, as weekly meetings were held in her home to organize the event. Her mother, Carol, is one of the co-chairs.

"It's kind of hard not to [eavesdrop]," she said, but added that she doesn't want to know much about what's going on.

"It's the last time I'll see a lot of the people I go to school with," Tanaka said. "Most of them are going; I don't know many who aren't."

She's also happy the party is happening on campus, since many schools' grad night events are held off-site. Next year, organizers said, even the party at Homestead will break tradition by moving off campus.

"I think it's kind of sad," Tanaka said. "I know personally that I'd like to spend my last night at school with all my friends rather than at some strange place."

[ Back to Contents Page | Sunnyvale Sun Home Page | Archives ]

This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, June 3, 1998.
©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.