Senior-Senior Prom unites young and old on dance floor

Boyertown National Honor Society seniors host dance for senior citizens

Seniors of all ages danced the night away during the annual Senior-Senior Prom.

Boyertown Area High School National Honor Society seniors organized the Senior-Senior Prom, a dance for senior citizens held at The Center at Spring Street, a program of Boyertown Area Multi-Service.

With the help of National Honor Society Advisor Jami Renfro, the students do everything from choosing a theme for the dance, composing questionnaires for the senior citizens to fill out to arranging food and decorations.

The center holds a dance every month, but the Senior-Senior dance on Friday, March 9, is different.

“It’s the camaraderie between our seniors and the high school seniors that make this dance special,” Center Director Lori Bernhard said. “The students are always surprised at how much fun they have with the senior citizens.

It’s neat to see how similar they are.”

The 40 National Honor Society students, ages 17 and 18, volunteer in shifts to decorate, run the event and dance with the seniors. This year’s theme was tropical.

Corinne Renninger, vice president of the BAHS National Honor Society and chairperon of the SeniorSenior Prom event, said that the students picked the theme because “it’s been a cold winter and we (the students) thought the tropical theme would be fun to decorate for.”

About 80 senior citizens attended the affair where high school senior boys gifted each of the women with a wooden rose as they were escorted to their table.

The senior citizens were given questionnaires to fill out to help get the conversation going with the students.

Some of the questions included this year were:

• What is your first memory?

• Where did you go on your first date?

• Where did you go to high school?

• Where have you traveled outside of the country?

Nancy Pearson said that she enjoys the Senior-Senior Prom because it’s fun to talk with the kids about the questions.

The students compile the answers and display them around the room. Thanks to the questionnaire, Suellen McCann, a Wilson High School alumnus, reminisced about her travels to Russia and Israel.

David Helmer said he likes this dance because ”it brings the community together — the elderly and the youth.”

This well-attended event has been held annually since the year 2000.

JESI YOST — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Kenneth Snyder shows Boyertown Area High School senior Charlotte Calautti a few dance moves at Senior-Senior Prom held at The Center at Spring Street March 9.

JESI YOST — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Boyertown Area High School senior David Helmer spins Helen Vanderslice on the dance floor during SeniorSenior Prom on March 9.

JESI YOST — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Zack Benning (center) with his Grandmother, Kathy Benning (left) and Great Grandmother, Evelyn Heacock (right) at Boyertown Senior-Senior Prom held at The Center at Spring Street March 9.

JESI YOST — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Boyertown Area High School National Honor Society seniors host a dance for senior citizens at Senior-Senior Prom held at The Center at Spring Street March 9.

JESI YOST — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Boyertown Area High School National Honor Society seniors host a dance for senior citizens at Senior-Senior Prom held at The Center at Spring Street March 9.

JESI YOST — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Boyertown Area High School National Honor Society seniors with Jami Renfro, Advisor, at Senior-Senior Prom held at The Center at Spring Street March 9.

JESI YOST — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Alice Gerhart and Alvin Behm enjoy a dance at the Boyertown Senior-Senior Prom held at The Center at Spring Street March 9.

JESI YOST - DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Boyertown Area High School National Honor Society seniors host a dance for senior citizens at Senior-Senior Prom held at The Center at Spring Street March 9.

JESI YOST — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Boyertown Area High School National Honor Society seniors hosted a dance for senior citizens at Senior-Senior Prom held at The Center at Spring Street March 9.

JESI YOST — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Boyertown Area High School National Honor Society seniors host a dance for senior citizens at Senior-Senior Prom held at The Center at Spring Street March 9.

JESI YOST — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Classic Touch Dance Band performed at the Senior-Senior Prom for the 4th year at The Center at Spring Street March 9.