Keep the prom an evening of teenage fun

PACKET EDITORIAL, May 16

By: Packet Editorial
   The excitement is building in the halls of Princeton High School this week as students can finally turn their attention away from college acceptances, AP exams and other academic pursuits to focus on the biggest social event of the year — the Junior/Senior Prom.
   Coming up Friday at the Westin at Forrestal Village, the prom will do what it does every year — transform hundreds of jeans-and-T-shirted teens into well-groomed, tuxedoed young men and gowned, corsaged young ladies. After posing for endless photos and videos in front of their beaming parents, they’ll head off for a memorable evening of partying with their classmates and friends.
   Unfortunately, some prom-goers will be tempted to notch the partying up a step or two beyond the usual dancing, picture-taking, gossiping, reminiscing and socializing. They’ll try to sneak in a flask of vodka or a vial of pills or a stash of marijuana in an effort to heighten this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Or, failing that, they’ll go on a binge after the prom is over, indulging in alcohol or drugs (or both) until the wee hours of the morning.
   If youngsters at this age won’t pay attention to their parents, their teachers, their counselors and their friends who warn them about the dangers of using — and abusing — alcohol and drugs on prom night, they’re not likely to accept the same sort of unsolicited advice from this newspaper. But a couple of activities planned for this week — one before the prom, the other immediately after — might prove to be more persuasive.
   On Wednesday morning, the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad will stage a mock drunk-driving car crash on the Princeton High School grounds. Sponsored by the Princeton Alcohol and Drug Alliance and the PHS Parent-Teacher Organization, this simulation, which was last conducted at PHS in 2000, is designed to give the high school’s juniors and seniors a graphic picture of the potentially lethal consequences of drinking and driving.
   We vividly remember the simulation that was staged six years ago. It was not for the faint-hearted. But it left a vivid — and, we’re pretty certain, lasting — impression on not only the teens, but also the adults in attendance. And we’re confident that Wednesday’s re-enactment will have the same, sobering effect.
   Then, after the prom, the PTO will host the annual alcohol- and drug-free Post Prom Party at the PHS gym. From 12:30 until 3 in the morning, participants will trade in their formalwear for more casual attire and party on — with music, games, random drawings for prizes and other fun activities sponsored by private donations from parents and local businesses.
   The Post Prom Party is free and open to all PHS juniors, seniors and their dates, even if they did not attend the prom itself. And the organizers, reinforcing the point that this can be a particularly tempting time for teens to engage in risky behavior, are discouraging students and parents from hosting their own after-prom parties.
   We applaud the sponsors of these events, and urge students and parents to act responsibly in the days ahead. To that end, we plan to run a story and photo of Wednesday’s simulated car crash in Friday’s paper — and hope that, in so doing, we might avoid having to run a story and photo of the real thing anytime thereafter.