What is the Edina Class of 2012 Senior Party All About? Read all about it here!
History
The origins of an all-night senior party go back 61 years, all the way to 1951, as Edina-Morningside High School was preparing for its very first graduation exercise.
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A few parents reasoned, "Let's bring the graduates together one last time for some good clean fun, and maybe then they could avoid getting into trouble."
Parents got behind the idea, but the school offered the use of the building and nothing more. The parents quickly organized and planned the events for the evening, including entertainment, games and prizes, a tradition that continues today.
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The idea of a senior party began to gather attention nationwide. In fact, a few years after the first one, The New York Times Magazine sent a writer to do a feature story on a graduation party that was used to keep young people away from liquor and out of trouble. Edina was credited with creating this great idea for a safe night.
The planning for the party begins in September of the senior year. A general meeting is held to outline the dates for the event and to get parents to volunteer for committees. Committee chairs are named and plans are begun. The event really gets into full swing in January as warehouse space is secured and hundreds of hours of preparation begin with designing, painting and coordinating for the big event.
About 30 key volunteers and committee chairs spend literally hundreds of hours planning, soliciting donations for food and prizes, fund raising, making decorations, etc., though as many as 700 volunteers are used/needed in total
The theme of the party is ALWAYS kept a secret from the students. Parents propose possible theme ideas and vote in October
Class of 2012 All Night Party at the High School
Besides prizes for the graduates, the amount of activities is staggering…from a casino, to karaoke, strolling magician, hypnotist, music, a coffee shop, a gym full of games and a meal area that will feature Papa Murphy’s pizza, Famous Daves and Curley's Bar B Que, beverages, warm cookies and milk and candy.
The party is not all games and prizes though. We are proud to give students a chance to reflect on the many fine teachers and mentors that helped them and made a difference in their lives along the way. This year to exemplify this there will be a community appreciation component where seniors will have a quiet opportunity to sit down, relax and write thank you notes to teachers or community members that have helped them to reach this milestone.
When is the Party
The party starts immediately after the graduation ceremony and is for all 633 Edina High School seniors, and the party planning is open to all parents and guardians of seniors. More information on the time and date is given below.
Who Pays for the Party?
Students pay a fee to attend the party which helps defray the cost for the food and activities. The request for scholarships (party fee assistance) is up this year and donations are down.
The party planning committees have been able to rely on large amounts of donations from the Edina community, as well as the greater Twin Cities community in years past, but the amount of free stuff has been greatly reduced this year, so many more things have to be purchased.
Nevertheless, there are many many many prizes that have been contributed and donated so far and the Prize Committee is on its way to reaching their goal of 250 – 300 prizes.
All of the committees are being extremely conscientious about their budgets and watching the spending for this event VERY carefully
Money was also raised to help cut costs and raise the much needed funds for the party via fundraising nights at restaurants, thank you card sales, and our annual plant sales.
If you would like to donate gift cards, movie passes, DVDs, Best Buy or Target gift certificates, etc., we will accept them until June 8th
Treasurer Holly Gieseke keeps a daily check on the balance sheets and is tracking the metrics of the party closely
Parents of Seniors, WE NEED YOU FOR ONE LAST VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY BEFORE YOUR STUDENTS SAY GOOD BYE TO EDINA HIGH SCHOOL!
We Need more parent volunteers – working 2nd shift 12:30a.m. - 5:00 a.m.
Sign up through the website at HYPERLINK "http://www.edinaseniorparty.org" www.edinaseniorparty.org or email edinaseniorparty2012@gmail.com
Set-up will begin at the high school by the parents beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 9
COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE!
There will be a public preview to see the school all decorated for the students, Monday June 11, with senior parents through first at 3:00 p.m., followed by the general public from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Commencement is at 7:00 p.m. on Monday June 11, and the students will bus straight from the ceremony to the party, with the party ending at 5:00 a.m. on the morning of the 12th.
Need More Information? Go to the website at: www.edinaseniorparty.org or email edinaseniorparty2012@gmail.com
