Senior Citizen Prom a Popular Yorktown High School Tradition

A prom was held at Yorktown High School on May 10, but the event was not for the students.

The event was actually the annual Senior Citizens Prom, sponsored by the school’s Student Senate

Student Senate President Ariana Aboulafi, said the prom has been held for the past seven years as one of the students’ efforts on behalf of local seniors.

“It’s basically just a way for the younger community, the high school community, to reach out to the older community,” Aboulafi said. “We incorporate the jazz band to just give it an old style vibe. We play music from the era that they would appreciate.”

The event includes not only a free meal and a chance to dance, Aboulafi said. The event provides “ways to talk to high schoolers that they wouldn’t normally see,” she said. “It’s just a way for us to really interact with them and thank them for giving back to us.”

About 75 senior citizens came to this year’s prom. “It’s great, it’s always great. It’s one of the best events of the year,” Aboulafi said, adding it took students and their advisors about six weeks to set up the event.

The Student Senate also holds a dinner and movie night each winter for local seniors.

The senior citizens who attended this years’ version expressed their gratitude to the students. “I think it’s just marvelous, what these high school seniors to for the older seniors,” Claire Petrillo said. “They’re so generous. They’re so helpful, so obliging. I can’t say enough for them. Yorktown is doing a beautiful job with their young people.”

Another senior citizen, Estelle Formica, also praised the students for putting on the event. “We’ve gone before. We like the things they do for the seniors and the community. And the kids are just wonderful,” she said.

When asked if this year’s prom brought back memories of her own high school prom, Petrillo laughed. “I think I’m enjoying this one more,” she said.

Neal Rentz