Friday, May 02, 2008

Promenade 2008

My nephew, Michael, is a senior this year, graduating from high school... in ultra grand style. I've mentioned before that he won a prestigious scholarship; he is also Valedictorian of his class.

Michael has not been one for attending the formal dances at his high school, usually just not his style, but I was happy to learn he was going to his senior prom. And oh my heck, did the boy look good in his tux...



My sister, Kathy (his momma), and I got to join Michael and his friends at his friend, Rachel's, house before the prom to take photos. It's a really good group of kids, and don't they all look beautiful...



That staircase shot was fun. The boys all lined up from tallest to shortest on the steps (notice that Michael is at the top), and so the girls did, too, so they weren't necessarily standing with their respective dates. None of them cared. I think most of them were going with a friend as a date, not a romantic interest. Michael and one of his best friends, Aiyana, went together...



Aiyana's dress was beautiful, and she looked gorgeous...



Michael was in a good mood and took all the photography & posing pretty well, for the most part...



This is Michael and another very good friend, Rachel (at her house). Michael and Rachel, along with other friends in the group, are on the high school Forensics team. (They have state finals this weekend.) Both Michael and Rachel have done very well in Forensics.



I even got Michael to pose with his momma...



And with his insistent, pesky aunt (me)...



It was fun to go take photos there; all the girls looked beautiful. The boys did, too, but the girls and their colorful dresses and fancy up-dos and sparkly jewelry are what makes a prom.

Ever wonder why it's called a "prom"? I figured it was short for promenade, and Wiki agrees. It was interesting to learn that calling it a "prom" is a very American thing.

At our high school, the Prom is always held in the Spring, prior to graduation. We don't have a "junior" and a "senior" prom; this is the Senior Prom. I believe to purchase tickets, one must be a junior or a senior, so if a freshman or sophomore attend, then they must be a date of a junior or senior. It is usually the junior class that "hosts" the Senior Prom; so it's up to that class to handle the fund-raising for the event... which they are supposed to do throughout their high school years. Michael's class hosted Joycie's Prom last year. His class didn't do very well at fund-raising, and that prom took place at the high school. Usually, it is a more elegant venue. Michael's Senior Prom was at a The Skyroom at our local airport, and that's a nice place to hold a prom. Our high school names only a Prom Queen, not a king. Nominations are made and voting occurs the week of prom, with the Queen announced at the event. Our high school also holds another formal dance during the school year, and that one takes place in Autumn; it's called "Homecoming" and it's held during football season. Homecoming was always usually less formal than prom, but it seems lately it's become just as much of a formal event as prom.

With Joycie's senior prom last year, I thought her prom days were over... but her and Mike are going to his senior prom next weekend. Her dress is beautiful; it's a gorgeous shade of kelly green. I told her yesterday that she looks like an elvish princess in it; she told me to be quiet. It is a good color on her, though. I'm looking forward to taking more photos. Mike and Joycie are joining a big group of Mike's friends, and Joycie knows some of them. I would think it would be a little nerve wracking to go and not know most of the people at the prom, but Mike's high school is so big, no one knows everyone there. (Unlike our high school, where everyone knows everyone!) Anyway, as long as Joycie's with Mike, she'll have a good time.

And as for the Forensics finals, I wish I could go! But it's being held in a city that's a few hours' drive away, and I just can't make that kind of road trip yet (with my neck still causing me pain, especially since I'm almost completely off the Vicodin... yay! but the pain is worse for it... boo hiss). I didn't get to see Michael do any of his Forensics competitions this year, and he was taking first at every event. He has a good chance of doing super well at state finals. I think he's also planning to be participate in Forensics at CMU; hope so, because then I can hopefully see him compete again. I'm so proud of my nephew, Michael!

No comments:

Post a Comment