An event in Roanoke County on Sunday reminded teens and their parents what's in - and out - at high school proms. What's in: Looking great, having fun. What's out: Alcohol, drugs and other risky behavior.
More than 100 people paid $10 a ticket to attend the Itsmyprom.org fashion show, an event that kicks off the prom-preparation season with a look at dozens of glitzy gowns. But rather than focusing solely on the clothes, organizers added intermission-time messages imploring teens to enjoy the big night safely.
Master of ceremonies Chris Wilmer, a fashion show and pageant producer from Charlottesville, told the crowd at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood that he rejects the stereotype that prom is a time to have sex and "party it up, booze it up."Wilmer and other speakers, including several high-profile teens, invited young people to see prom as a night to dress up and feel special without substances and sex.
That message "is definitely one that teens in the Roanoke Valley need to hear," said Liza Rosa, a senior at Hidden Valley High School. A teen who is chairwoman of the student advisory council to the county school board, Rosa modeled a couple of the gowns. Joining her were about 100 other young women, some with modeling or pageant experience and some who stepped onto the fashion runway for the first time. They wore gowns carried by four area dress shops, creating a scene reminiscent of Milan in a southwest Roanoke County hotel ballroom.
Judging from the display, this year's "in" colors include purple and blue; trendy looks include strapless or single strap; and the material ought to sparkle. Each year about now, high school-age men and women begin lining up expectations about their spring social. The jam-packed night can include limousine rides, fancy attire, dinner on the town, the prom dance and an afterparty lasting hours more.
In the United States, prom costs an average of $807 a person, according to a 2011 survey by the credit card company Visa. Among the bigger-ticket items, prom gowns range from $300 to $500 new, according to Becky Fairchild, owner of the Buena Vista dress shop Becky's Bridal & Formal. But you might find a gently used one at a resale shop for $100.
Here is arguably the biggest social event of the school year. Expectations run high. In its fifth year, Itsmyprom.org wants to ensure the blowout doesn't end in tragedy. "You don't have to go crazy, drink alcohol and do drugs to have a good time," Ashley Greenfield, 18, Miss Teen United States, told the audience. Greenfield, of Blacksburg, attends Longwood University.
The efforts of Itsmyprom.org, which stages a similar event once a year in Charlottesville, are aligned with those of several nonprofit groups in the Roanoke region that fight destructive decisionmaking by teenagers. It also has alliances with dedicated parents and school personnel who stage and supervise substance-free, after-prom socials.
Those involved in teen-assistance efforts say they cannot recall any alcohol-related deaths or traffic wrecks involving prom participants during prom weekend in the Roanoke area in years. They say they want to keep it that way.
One of the biggest continuing challenges advocates say they face is adults who host alcohol-fueled parties in their homes while looking the other way. Tabitha Cain, a co-organizer of the event, warned the parents in the audience against that. "You can actually go to jail," she said.