Pilgrim principal, parents recruiting volunteers for post-prom extravaganza

By Kelcy Dolan
Posted 2/4/16

Last year 95 percent of all Pilgrim High School senior prom goers attended the After Prom Extravaganza (APE). This “after party,” hosted for all prom goers free of charge, runs all night long and …

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Pilgrim principal, parents recruiting volunteers for post-prom extravaganza

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Last year 95 percent of all Pilgrim High School senior prom goers attended the After Prom Extravaganza (APE). This “after party,” hosted for all prom goers free of charge, runs all night long and includes games, activities and performances for students. The program began in 2008 after two Pilgrim grads, Tiffany DeSisto and Marissa Salabert, lost their lives in a drunk driving accident.

Although it’s a long night for everyone involved, APE is a way of keeping students from drinking and driving or making other potentially dangerous decisions on this celebratory night.

Typically, APE is run by teachers and parent volunteers, but because teacher contract negotiations are still underway, the Pilgrim Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) is preemptively looking for volunteers to not only work the APE event, but to also set up and help prepare for APE in the coming months.

Steven Peladeau, president of the PTSA, would like to see those students or parents who have benefited from APE, either through a fun night after prom or having a good night’s sleep knowing their children were safe, would come forward to volunteer.

“A lot of kids and parents have benefited from this in the past seven years. It would be nice if they could come back and pay it forward by volunteering,” Peladeau said.

Currently, Pilgrim is the only school in Warwick to run APE. Because many of the students at Vets High School will be moving to Pilgrim as part of consolidation, it may be a unique opportunity for parents within the Vets community to become involved in the school. Also, APE will be a program Vets underclassmen can partake in next year and parents could get a first hand look at what APE is all about.

Although the event runs from 10:30 p.m. to about 6 a.m., volunteers are needed for as early as 2 p.m. because set-up for APE begins immediately after the school day ends. Decorations, activity centers and inflatable bounce houses and more transform about half of the school into a carnival-like atmosphere. Volunteers do not have to participate in the entire day, but can partake in portions of the event. Altogether for the entire event, APE needs nearly 30 volunteers.

Volunteers planning to spend the night will at the various activities, including, but not limited to, the “casino,” a magician performance, henna tattooing, message therapy, tarot card reading, basketball and ping pong games, food stations, board games and a “paint and vino” with non-alcoholic sangria.

The program has grown significantly in seven years and according to Pamela Bernardi, interim principal at Pilgrim, core expenses average about $4,500. The bulk of these costs come from both the t-shirts made for the night and prizes raffled off at the end of the night. These prizes include mini-fridges, Keurig machines and gift cards to local businesses to interest those students that will be attending college and those entering the work force.

A lot of the food at APE also comes from local businesses in particular Rigatoni’s, Governor Francis Inn, Dunkin Donuts and others.

The PTSA is also looking for volunteers to solicit businesses in the months preceding APE to prepare for the event as well as businesses interested in sponsoring the t-shirts, which will be provided to every participating student.

“We have this down to a science,” Peladeau said. “We have the basics we just need the help of putting it together. The kids are kept active all night long and really enjoy it.”

Bernardi said APE is a multi-phased event, but has really become the event of the season for seniors, just as much if not more exciting than the prom.

“Despite how exhausting it is, we are providing an outstanding and safe alternative for students and safety is what its ultimately all about,” she said.

Peladeau and his wife, Kathy, have volunteered for APE since the program began in 2008. They had four children go through Pilgrim and their youngest is a senior this year. Although they will no longer have children at the school, both fully intend to continue volunteering because they are so passionate about APE.

He said that in the springtime you too often hear stories of young students losing their lives in terrible accidents right after their prom or graduation for making a mistake.

“A lot of people may shy away from this because it’s all night long, but if there are 250 kids at APE and you see them all leave at 6 in the morning, that’s 250 kids whose lives were saved,” Peladeau said. “That’s the satisfaction of it all. They can have fun while making good decisions. We don’t need to hear any more of those stories.”

The prom is on Friday, May 20, and APE will officially begin at 11 immediately following the prom. About 25 volunteers are needed from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Volunteers can both chaperone as well as run events. All volunteers must have a BCI check previous to the event.

For more information or to volunteer, call the school at 734-3250 and speak with Pamela Bernardi.

Comments

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  • Justanidiot

    Bartenders and keg tappers are desperately needed.

    Thursday, February 4, 2016 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    This is absolutely the smartest prom idea I have heard since I was in high school, and I was in high school a long, long time ago. (Class of 1969). Count me in as a volunteer.

    Richard Corrente

    Democrat for Mayor - 2016

    Tuesday, February 9, 2016 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    Mayer Corrente,

    If you can make a Eastern Sour and a Long Island Iced Tea, you are in.

    Wednesday, February 10, 2016 Report this