The Algonquin Parent Teacher Organization (APTO) must fundraise $32,000 to cover the expenses for the two post-prom parties and is seeking donations from parents and community members to help members of the junior and senior classes have fun, safe all-night celebrations. 

Traditionally the APTO hosts an all-night post-prom party after each year’s junior prom.  However, for the first time due to COVID, there is both a junior and senior prom this year. The junior class’s post-prom party will be held on April 30, and the senior class’s will be on May 20, after each of their respective proms. Each party will be from 12-5 a.m. at New England Sports Center, and as long as students are a junior or senior, they may attend the post-party even if they didn’t attend prom. 

The APTO is presented with the challenge of raising twice as much as the $16,000 they spend on party expenses in a typical year.

“$32,000 is an estimate because it cost $16,000 in 2019 for the junior prom that year,” APTO parent volunteer Kair Tucker said. “It could be a little bit more because we haven’t gotten all the expenses yet.”

The money raised covers the entire post-prom party experience, including the venue and transportation.

“The money is used for the venue, the entertainment, there’s usually a hypnotist and a DJ, the food, the arcade at New England Sports Center, and then transportation because the kids are picked up from Algonquin, brought to the sports center, and then brought back to the school,” Tucker said. “Usually there are eight to 10 buses that the [APTO] has to pay for. The average cost is $45-55 per student, so it really adds up.”

This year’s proms and post-prom celebrations may be of greater significance than ever before.

“I anticipate that kids will see the prom as a real celebration and a real moment that is something that they always had been looking forward to, but now has taken on a greater significance because it will signify in some ways a new chapter for them, restoring normal rituals and traditions that most high schoolers maybe took for granted before the pandemic hit,” Principal Sean Bevan said.

To donate, parents can use this Paypal link or send a check to the APTO. Community members who are not a parent of a junior or senior but still want to help can donate to the “Happy to Help” section, which will split the money between the two grades. The deadline to donate is April 1.

“The kids deserve [prom and the post-prom parties],” Tucker said. “This is a 30-year tradition, and parents have always stepped up before to help, but we have never had two parties at the same time and had to raise so much money. The APTO is not sure how much money businesses are going to give this year because of the economy, so we really hope the community will step up and give these kids something to remember their school year by.