HOWELL – Two parents helped the members of the Class of 2021 enjoy their last dance as Howell Middle School North students.
The Howell K-8 School District did not organize a graduation dance for eighth-graders following a year that included many restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.
John and Caryn Hughes said they believed their daughter, Juliette, and her classmates deserved a chance to celebrate the milestone, so they planned a graduation dance.
John Hughes said the dance took place on June 10 at the Our House Restaurant and Banquet Facility in town.
“My daughter is part of the eighth grade graduating class from Howell Middle School North. My daughter and her friends were going to buy dresses and take pictures in them since the school could not have a dance. My wife and I asked our daughter if the kids really wanted a dance and when we found out they did, we decided to create one as a private non-school event,” Hughes said.
Hughes said the smiles on the children’s faces and the pictures that will last a lifetime made the effort of organizing the event worthwhile.
“We called in a few favors from some people and … invited everyone in the eighth grade. The venue and all of the vendors were very generous in keeping the costs down for us. My wife was really responsible for planning it all. I helped to promote it and to put things together on the day of the dance,” Hughes said.
He said more than 170 students attended the event.
“My wife is amazing with this kind of stuff. We did it for the kids and we are just glad they had a good time,” Hughes said.