May 28, 2019 By Carol Britton Meyer
"Fun" is the word!
Graduation Day is the biggest thrill of all following four years of hard work and fun during high school, but Senior Night is a close second.
This all-night gala takes place from 11 p.m. graduation night (June 1 this year) until 5 a.m. the following morning, providing an alcohol-free, fun-filled, safe place for the graduates to spend one last time together as a group. There's an about 85 percent participation rate. The all-night party has been a tradition for more than 25 years.
"It’s so easy to get into trouble wanting to celebrate together after graduating. If we didn’t have this event, I think the first thing kids think about is partying. Instead we provide a safe, fun, activity-filled night that allows graduates to be all together and celebrate safely," said Stacy Havens, Business Co-Chair with Kim Wendell.
The halls of HHS are transformed according to a particular theme, which is kept secret from the seniors until they arrive to enjoy six fun-packed hours of entertainment, food, a theme-based candy "bar," raffles, a photo booth, games, spray-paint tattoo artists, fortune tellers, and even caricature artists as well as a DJ who plays music all night long. It's also an opportunity for the teens to share past -- and to make new --memories.
Photo collages
As the teens enter Senior Night they are greeted with massive collages of photos on the walls of all the students over the years collected from their parents and assembled by the parents of the freshman class.
There's also a casino with blackjack, Texas Hold ‘Em, and roulette every year. The kids gamble with chips and the more chips they win, the more chance they have to win a raffle prize at 3 a.m. Last year there were carnival games to go along with the Circus theme.
"We hire a photo mirror where kids can take their pictures on the mirror with cool graphics and sayings from the linked computer. These photos are then uploaded digitally to their phones," Havens said. "In the gym we have an inflatable obstacle course and human foosball. Last year -- and this year, too -- we hired a magician. At last year’s Senior Night at 4 a.m. we gathered the kids into the auditorium where he then performed fun hypnosis, similar to the movie 'Now You See Me.' The kids absolutely loved this and didn’t want him to stop even though it was 5 a.m."
Hornstra Farms has donated chocolate milk each year, and at 1 or 2 a.m., it's always a "huge hit!" Havens said.
No public viewing this year
While a public viewing of the all-night party scene has been available after the graduation ceremony in the past, due to the change in graduation time to 10 a.m. and the fact that SAT's are being hosted at the High School then, that will not happen this year because no one is allowed in that part of the building during the test. "We felt that to have volunteers and the police have to come back later in the day would be cumbersome, with most-likely low attendance," Havens said.
Senior Class Parents Sherry Schilb and Tara Redman each have their third of three teens finishing up their senior year.
Others involved with the event include Decorations Chairs, Ellen Larkin; Entertainment, Liz Bienfang; Casino, Shelly Osterberg and Amy Crean; Refreshments, Sonya Franklin; Check-in, Katie Daly; Volunteers, Stacy Havens, and many others.
"A lot of work goes into Senior Night," Havens said. "Planning begins in October, with decorating workshops held throughout the year. We really do it up. It's not an easy task!"
Labor of love
The event is a true community effort and labor of love by the many parents and others who plan and bring the gala to reality and volunteer that night to the many local businesses who donate either cash to help cover the costs, food, or raffle items and the police officers who help chaperone. The names of contributors are included in a graduation program insert and posted on social media.
"Thanks to the generosity and commitment of our PTO, whose members devote countless hours to this project, our seniors will have a chance to say goodbye to Hingham High School in a way that is fun, meaningful, memorable, and safe," said HHS Principal Rick Swanson. "Because this community works so hard to deliver an incredible Senior Night program, we believe that our seniors' last night at HHS might also be their best one. "
Last year Havens was the Decorations Chair. "I had a senior in my family so I knew a lot of the kids," she said. At 5 a.m. when they were all leaving, she recalls hearing comments such as these: 'Thank you so much, Mrs. Havens! That was so much fun! I had a blast! I didn’t think it was going to be as much fun as it really was!,'" she recalled. "I heard such remarks over and over and over again. They were so appreciative. It made all the hard work totally worth it, and I've met so many great parents that have become friends since working on this event. I keep telling people it’s a very rewarding experience."