A Riverview mother is planning to hold a private prom for 2021 graduates of Riverview High School in keeping with COVID-19 protocols.
Tina Vautour said she is planning the event hoping to lift the spirits of high school grads who feel like they are missing out on a milestone celebration since prom has been cancelled for the second year in a row due to the pandemic.
“We wanted to give them a special way to end their year,” said Vautour.
Announced earlier this month, high school students in New Brunswick will be returning to classes full time on April 12.
But the Anglophone East School District said on Tuesday that prom celebrations will not be going ahead even if COVID-19 restrictions are loosened by the end of the school year.
“There is no chance at this point that that will change,” said Stepanie Patterson, the communications representative for the district.
Vautour’s daugher, Madison Joseph, said it is upsetting to learn that prom has been cancelled again this year.
“As a child, you dream about it and you see everybody enjoy prom and you get there and you don’t get to have as much fun as everybody,” she said.
Vautour said their private prom is not sanctioned by the school district, as it is being organized privately by parents. But she said that the event is being overseen by NB Public Health.
“We are going to have an operation plan, of course, and all the COVID rules will be followed,” she said.
The event she said will be held at the Solomon Gardens wedding venue in Moncton.
“We have been steadily in contact with public health regarding any events at our venue to ensure the safety of guests on our grounds and ensure all procotols are being followed accordingly,” said Beth Leet, the manager of the event venue.
Vautour said the plan is to hold two prom nights for up to 120 students per night at the outdoor tented wedding venue. She said students in attendance will be required to stay within smaller 10-person friend groups, even when dancing, and will have to be masked when not seated to eat.
“We have booked the DJ and we have a business catering for the meal,” she said.
Vautour estimates it will cost about $15,000 to host the two proms and so far. She said their planning group has managed to raise more than $4,000 primarily from local business owners who feel for the kids.
“The community has really come together to help us out for these kids,” she said.
Riverview mother Gillian Crandall is on the planning committee and said that so far more than 100 grads have put down a deposit on the event, but not everyone wants to be involved.
“It’s a challenging situation to be in so we understand that not everyone is going to want to participate,” said Crandall.
Vautour said the students deserve to have a night of safe celebration after facing such a trying year.
“They are able to wear their dresses and tuxes and just feel good after the year that they have had.”