To (Safely) Party All Night, Post Prom Parents Prep All Day

Wheaton South parent and Post Prom chairperson Jeanne Wasser knows what to do to put managing hundreds of volunteers and coordinating an event for more than 1,000 students into perspective: “take a deep breath.”

Each year—for the past 17 years—the Wheaton North and Wheaton South high school booster programs collaborate to put on Post Prom, also known as Operation Safe Celebration, to give students a safe place to go after their prom.

Margaret Burau, who heads security at Wheaton South's Post Prom, said, "we need to make sure, to the best of our ability ... (that the) kids are monitored and in a safe environment." The event is "very controlled," she added.

Ann Impola, chairperson for Wheaton North’s Post Prom, said that hundreds of volunteers are involved in putting this event together. According to a District 200 press release, approximately 200 parents and student volunteers help transform the community center into a major theme party.

They’ll be needed—with more than 500 kids funneling into the Wheaton Community Center after Wheaton North’s prom Saturday and 700 after Wheaton South’s prom on May 14.

“Kids love it,” Impola said.

Wasser said that the turnout for Post Prom is even better than the actual prom. For prom, kids need a date and the event is structured and expensive, “But post prom is like a party at someone’s house,” she said. “It’s a safe place, they see all their friends, their parents are involved … In this day in age, I think it’s fun for them to have a choice of what to do in the evening.”

Burau said she likes the sight of "hoards" of kids lining up for the event, "It's neat to watch the kids be really positive."

For $15, students can eat, socialize, play games and win prizes donated from the community such as a laptop, HDTV, Kindle or gift certificates to local restaurants and spas. The event is open to juniors and seniors, regardless of whether they attended prom, Impola said.

This year’s Post Prom theme is “The Amazing Race,” Impola said. Rooms throughout the community center will be decorated to look like destinations such as Costa Rica, Monte Carlo, Tahiti, Chicago, Paris and the North Pole.

And un-decorated in the early hours of the morning to return the facility to the Wheaton Park District.

“It’s a lot of work that goes into the whole process,” Wasser said, when explaining that she, Impola and other parents will be at the community center cleaning and taking down decorations until 5 a.m. on Sunday.

“Is it worth it? Absolutely,” she said.

“It’s really special for the kids, so it’s fun to be a part of that.”

Editor's Note: According to Margaret Burau, who heads security for Wheaton South's Post Prom, the public can see the decorated community center from 7-9 p.m. Saturday or 7-9 p.m. Saturday, May 14.