A Parent's Work Is Never Done: Planning the Senior All-Night Party

Less than one week away from graduation, senior parents are busy planning for the big day. It's a busy, emotional time for parents as well as the graduates, and for the parents who are heavily active with their teens at school volunteering, their extracurricular is soon coming to an end as well.

In the home stretch at there is a group of parents whose extracurricular volunteering will go right up to graduation day. They have been working hard planning the Senior All-Night Party.

The behind-the-scenes of the senior party began back in September, a month that seems like yesterday to event co-chairs Patti Hallop and Maryann Forrester. The pair have become great friends along with many more parents who have been planning this overnight extravaganza.

"I did it to make sure the kids have fun that night," Hallop said. "I want it to be a success for them. Many of us parents have known each other for years while our kids have been going to school together. Being in sports or band, or whatever, we have become good friends and there's a closeness between the parents, as well as the students."

The Senior All-Night Party is a ritual fun time in which most seniors partake. The event is graduation night, June 12, and begins at 11 p.m. This year, the students will gather at Dave and Buster's from 11 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.

"They will be locked in and the place will be closed to the public so Dakota seniors will have the place to themselves," Hallop said.

At Dave and Buster's, the seniors will have a buffet of their favorite foods and sodas, and can enjoy all the venue's games. There will also be a Vegas Room, a psychic, a bull-riding machine, and a video-recording area where students can be the stars of their own video.

"They can win prizes in the Vegas Room and there will be chances for other prizes as well," Hallop said. "All for $80 a person."

The Senior All-Night Party committee–otherwise known as SANP–is made up of several subcommittees including Games, Vegas Room, Volunteers, Prizes, Craft Fair, Admissions and Decorations, just to name a few.

"It's a big undertaking to have this event," Hallop said. "We fund raise all yearlong to be able to purchase prizes for the kids and pay for the extras."

The committee held their last fundraising event for the year at California Pizza Kitchen on May 11. 

"We raised money on every order at the restaurant that night that showed our flier," Hallop said. "We've also had events like our Dine with a Caterer, where parents and the public came to the school to meet and test out food from local caterers and our biggest fundraiser, the Spring Craft Fair at Dakota, which we do all the work planning that event as well."

But the biggest challenge beyond raising money is getting prizes. The parents look for prizes the students can use, perhaps at college.

"Many businesses in the local area have donated generously," Hallop said. "We have microwaves, small refrigerators, baskets and lots of gift cards, but it takes legwork to get out there and find these donations. We have many gift certificates from places like Leo's Coney Island, Body Bronze, Great Clips, C.J. Barrymore's, Coney Grill, Andary's, Ram's Horn, Radiance Tan, Subway and Meijer, just to name a few."

The subcommittee for prizes has parents Kim Coleman, Joanna Zuccaro and Lori Manerski canvassing the businesses around town.

"They probably put the most time in on the committee because it takes time to get out there each month and find more prizes," Hallop said. "Parents probably spend anywhere from five to 25 hours a month just working on this event. Our prize parents are doing a great job."

The night of the event, there will be more than 50 parents volunteering, both moms and dads.

"The dads are great and really help out the night of the event," Hallop said. "Many will work the Vegas Room. It's a great fun night to spend with your kid and all their friends. It's not really chaperoning, it's a great night out with friends."