PLANNING A PERFECT PROM

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Apr 22, 2004 by Capital-Journal

Today's teens pour energy into having

the just-right look for the social experience

DANCE FEVER

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANN WILLIAMSON AND JOHN NOWAK/THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

BY SUSAN FAHLGREN ROTHSCHILD

SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Washburn Rural High School.

Burghart and her brother, Craig , a senior, are among thousands of local high school students dressing up and stepping out this month and next for the biggest social evening of their school year.

"I've been waiting to go my whole high school career," Craig Burghart said. "I went to winter formal and prom --- the two big dances this year. That's all I really care about."

A big dancing fan?

"Not really," he said with a chuckle. "It's just something I could look back on and say that I did it. It's kind of important."

"All my friends are really nervous about it," Allison Burghart said earlier this month. "Getting ready and stuff is a lot of fun."

Washburn Rural joined six of 25 Topeka-area high schools celebrating their proms last weekend. The local prom schedule began April 3 and continues each Saturday night through May 8.

"It's a busy time," said their mom, Judy Burghart. "First there's the prom and then there's graduation."

Thankfully for parents Judy and Dave, the Burghart kids kept their prom budget in the hundreds of dollars rather than the thousands. There were no limos, rented carriages or hot-air balloon rides on their prom lists.

"We haven't really spent that much," Judy Burghart said. "They've been pretty reasonable about everything."

Allison Burghart spent time over spring break finding her embroidered satin and toile gown at a discount shop in Kansas City. Craig waited until he finished taking his college entrance exams earlier this month to order his black tuxedo with baby blue cummerbund to match his date's dress.

Each planned an evening with their dates and another couple. Craig Burghart and Stacy Kiss and their friends began at Grazies Italian restaurant downtown, while Allison Burghart and Andy Fleming and their friends went to the Fritz Co. Grille on S.W. Wanamaker for dinner. Then they all went to the Ramada Inn ballroom downtown for the "Masquerade"-themed prom with a disc jockey playing records.

"I'm hoping for a lot of slow songs," Craig Burghart said earlier, noting he was "not much of a dancer. I was happy when Stacy said she doesn't really like fast dancing."

"I hope there's a lot of slow songs because it's kind of hard to dance in a long dress," Allison Burghart said.

At midnight, the couples changed into shorts and T-shirts and moved to Washburn Rural High for the "post prom." There, the parents of the junior class played host to a variety of carnival-style activities, including Sumo-wrestling and a Velcro wall, while teens won door prizes like televisions and entertainment coupons, ate snacks and drank sodas until 4 a.m. Then the students separated again to go to one of dozens of students' homes where parents fixed breakfast for throngs of hungry teens.

"Some kids work all year for prom," said Claudia Daily, special education teacher and prom sponsor at Topeka High. "We encourage them to keep things simple because kids will bankrupt themselves."

At Topeka High, the prom itself --- this year set for May 1 --- is at the school and the theme is kept secret from students until they arrive. A variety of school groups from horticulture to theater classes are involved providing decorations to transform the school's hallways and meeting areas, Daily said. Parents and neighbors bring lawn chairs to watch the stream of students arrive.

"Having it at the school allows us to decorate any way we want," Daily said. "By late Saturday morning, it doesn't look like Topeka High. We start decorating at the curb. By the time the kids hit the veranda, the hallways and the cafeteria, they feel like they've stepped into someplace different. We love it here. With as many kids as we have, it would be crowded anyplace else."

Topeka High parent booster groups sponsor the "after prom" with its own theme at the Topeka Performing Arts Center.

Seaman High School's prom isn't until May 8, but senior Stephanie Prevedello has had her dress since December.

"Every girl in northeast Kansas is looking for the perfect dress," she said. "You've got to start early."

Prevedello asked for the dress as a Christmas present and spent her holiday vacation time looking for the perfect fit.

"I think the girls like to go out and get dressed up," said Erin Santner, a Seaman junior.

She and classmates agreed the girls enjoy getting their hair and nails done and finding and wearing a fancy dress. The tuxedos, the corsage and dinner plans are left to the boys.

"I think that's a guy's responsibility," said Aaron Davey, a Seaman senior.

"The girl spends enough on her dress," agreed Becky Abrams, a Seaman senior. "That's kind of the deal. But you can make it as expensive or inexpensive as you want. Last year, they had the prom at the Capitol Plaza, and we planned to have dinner there. But when we saw how expensive it was, we excused ourselves and went to Rosa's (Mexican restaurant). It's much more relaxed there, anyway."