By Maddy Vitale
For Ocean City High School students deciding whether they should attend After Prom, they should know a few things.
If they go, they will more than likely have a blast. They will have an array of exciting, cool games to play, and a huge assortment of food to eat. Oh, and lots of ways to win prizes, Amy Holmes, co-chairwoman of the After Prom Committee said.
The free event at the Ocean City High School is May 18 from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Now in its 25th year, the event for teens is designed to offer them a safe, entertaining, drug- and alcohol-free alternative to post-prom partying.
“This lasting event is a true testimony of what Ocean City is founded on — as a dry town that embraces family, friends, and fabulous memories made together,” Holmes said.
Get ready for some fun After Prom attendees.
“This year we have an escape room. We have something fun for everyone. Literally, we have now embraced the students musically, athletically and academically inclined,” Holmes noted. “We will reach 100 percent of what these kids are going to want to do after the prom.”
The activities include game show-style activities. This year a new addition is the game “Hungry Hungry Hippo” using inflatables. There is another one called “Melt Down,” which Holmes said is sure to be a hit.
Each year After Prom is organized by Holmes, of Upper Township, and her husband Bill, and Jennifer Bowman, of Ocean City, and her husband Charles, all OCHS grads.
More than 600 students attend After Prom each year. Food, music, games, photo booths, and inflatables transform the high school into a theme park. Students have the opportunity to win prizes throughout the night.
This year’s theme is “A Magical Celebration,” chosen to celebrate the 25-year milestone of the event, Holmes said.
“It is a huge accomplishment, so we wanted this year to highlight that,” she said. “We wanted it to be classy, yet fun.”
Holmes said teens can expect to see some gardens and castles, along with elegant backdrops, transforming the high school gymnasium and the hallways into an enchanted place.
Among all the elegance will also be what the teens likely care about most: incredible food, DJs, photo booths, Laser Tag, a caricature artist and more, Holmes added.
To top it off, throughout the night the teens have a chance to win money and prizes. Both Holmes and Bowman emphasized that the night could not happen without all of the generosity of the community.
Each year the After Prom Committee raises funds for the event and about $20,000 in total is needed to make it a success.
And year after year, businesses, members of the community and organizations donate to the event and make it possible.
“We are extremely grateful to the many businesses, non-profits and individuals who help donate money, prizes and food items each year,” Holmes said. “We simply cannot provide the celebration without the generosity of the Miss Night in Venice Committee, OCHS community, the Ocean City Board of Education and the City of Ocean City.”
She added that the committee is also grateful to the 100–plus volunteers who join each year to chaperone the event.
The After Prom Committee is still seeking 75 volunteers for the event, Holmes said.
“We always have enough parents who sign up, but it does get a little stressful when we get closer and still need volunteers,” she added.
Bowman said the community has always been so wonderful about the event, showing support for something important for teens in the district.
“People give year after year and nobody ever says no. Norm, from Curly Fries, comes and cooks fries and makes fresh lemonade until 1 in the morning,” Bowman said. “Joan, from the Ocean City Coffee Company, keeps us awake at night with all of her fantastic coffee. We just want the local businesses to know we need you and thank you for all you do for this event.”
In addition to new games and an assortment of goodies to enjoy throughout the evening into the morning, teens may notice some luxurious new wall coverings, Bowman said.
“We spent $5,000 on fabrics so that we own all of these coverings. We used to rent them,” Bowman said of the backdrops.
During the winter, volunteers, including residents Eleanor Parker, Christine Crist and Jane Custer sewed the fabrics at St. Peter’s United Methodist Church into beautiful displays.
“We made an investment in the future of After Prom so that we don’t have to rent the curtains anymore,” she added.
And it is all thanks to the work of volunteers, including parents, school faculty and staff and students, who have worked tirelessly to offer the special night for Ocean City High School students, organizers said.
The core volunteers include, The Holmes family, the Bowmans, Bill Heap, Gabrielle Mulloy, Lisa Yiannos, Jennifer Blankley, Melissa and Travis Wade, Abby Wade, Calliope Yiannos, Heather James, Victor Hartley and Sarah Lee.
For more information about Ocean City High School’s After Prom, including how to volunteer or donate, visit www.ochsafterprom.org.
