Area schools are preparing for the Prom season

HARTINGTON — High school students will soon get to enjoy a rite of spring that was passed over last year because of the coronavirus.

Prom season begins this month when Harlington-Newcastle holds its annual spring prom this Saturday night.

Wausa High School also has its prom March 27. Cedar Catholic and Wynot high schools will both hold their spring prom on April 10.

This year’s event will be different on many different levels.

The location of this year’s prom is the biggest change from past years. The Historic Hartington Hotel ballroom is the site for this year’s Hartington-Newcastle prom. Both the banquet and dance will be held at the hotel.

Prom organizer Lori Peitz said the hotel was chosen because it fits the 1920s theme of this year’s prom perfectly — A night in Brooklyn.

“The Hotel was chosen because the downstairs is already decorated in that style,” she said. “Moving the prom out of the school this year helped lessen disruptions in the building. Many of the common areas are used this year to spread students out throughout the day.”

Students will then be bussed back up to the school after the prom for the after-prom party in the school gym.

The school will also have special precautions in place to try and limit the spread of COVID.

The school will not hold the traditional Grand March as has been done in years past.

Instead, friends and family will have three opportunities to view the students.

H-N seniors and their dates will arrive at school between 5:30 and 5:45 p.m. At 5:45, the group will leave from the west side of the school in a trolley and travel down Broadway to the hotel.

“This means that you have three different opportunities to see the students on their way to the hotel. You are welcome to come to the front of the school and watch as the students load the trolley. You may park along Broadway and watch as the students come down the street. You may line the sidewalks at the hotel and watch as students unload from the trolley. All of these options should allow people to space out and social distance well enough to avoid any large crowds,” HNS High School Principal Corey Uldrich said.

This same process will take place for the Juniors and Sophomores. Juniors will arrive between 5:40 and 5:55 p.m., and they will load the trolley at 5:55. Sophomores will arrive between 7:30 and 7:45 p.m., and they will load the trolley at 7:45.

Crowning of the Prom Prince and Princess will be at the start of the dance at 8 p.m. Pictures will be posted on the school’s social media sites so the community can see them.

The Cedar County News will also have photos at www.hartington.net.

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