Prom is supposed to be one the most memorable nights of your life. It might be the first time a young woman goes all out, having her hair and makeup done up to the nines and decked out in a princess-like gown. For young men, it might be the first time getting properly dappered up in a tux and an excuse to experience a drive around town in a luxurious limo. For everyone, it’s a rite of passage. You get to say farewell to high school and look forward to new beginnings that are just over the horizon with fun, friends, and dancing until dawn.
For the Class of 2020, however, prom is going to be different. With the world in crisis and public spaces closed down in the name of curbing the spread of disease, the prom that grads every other year before this have known just can’t happen. There will be no giggle-filled limo rides this year, no group pics of friends in their finest lined up together, and no head-on-shoulder slow dances.
RELATED STORIES
But that’s not to say that there can’t still be a prom.
In Canada, a student-led initiative is organizing a virtual prom for the Class of 2020, and every grad is invited – and it’s going to benefit charity, too.
Thirty-six grads, representing every province and territory, have formed a national prom committee, and they have a big blast planned for May 22, including a live streamed DJ set by Loud Luxury and some special guests to be announced later. The grads will also have a chance to show off their fancy gowns and suits and connect with other grads all across the nation.
Making the night extra special, it will also serve as a fundraiser for Kids Help Phone, the nation’s only free e-mental health service offering 24/7 support to young Canadians in both official languages.
It’s going to be easy to take part and raise money for Kids Help Phone , too. All grads have to do is RSVP on the site and then engage on social media.
On Tik Tok, you can join the prom wave challenge through the @studentlifenetwork with the hashtag #promison2020.
On Instagram, grads are encouraged to get creative with a promposal, whether it’s to a friend, a crush, or even just a pet, tagging your promposal with @studentlifenetwork , to net a donation.
Even just tuning into the live stream can help – and they’re promising giveaways throughout the night, too.
Just because it’s going to be a different kind of prom doesn’t mean it can’t also be memorable.
“During these times of uncertainty, having something to look forward to and being able to share it with people from all around the country is important. It will make us feel like we are stronger than the virus. No matter what, we can still have a great time,” said prom committee member Maude Levesque.
The folks at Kids Help Phone know that every little bit of normalcy and reaching out in friendship can be a big thing during times like this.
“We hear daily from young people about the things they are worried about. Schools are closed, they aren’t able to see their friends or family and now, proms are cancelled,” said Kids Help Phone CEO Katharine Hay. “We are so excited to be a part of this initiative and want to thank Canada’s young people for being courageous and positive during these unprecedented times.”
The fun starts at 8pm Eastern on May 22.
So, if you’re a 2020 grad, start thinking of a great promposal and head over to Instagram and share it! Even though COVID-19 is still a thing, there’s plenty to look forward to, from dressing up your fanciest to seeing your friends in their best duds to sharing the night with an entire nation.
And, as a bonus, you get to help out Kids Help Phone too!
