The HMHS Leo Club holds many wonderful events throughout the year, but one of the most anticipated ones is its Senior Citizens Prom. This event is a great way to keep the seniors in our community engaged, connected, and entertained. On Sunday, February 21st, from 1-3 pm, HMHS students and seniors from the Mabel Kay Senior Center gathered in the cafeteria for a Valentine’s Day/Eagles-themed afternoon full of delicious food, chatting, and dancing. 

Students from the Leo Club volunteered to help out in a variety of ways. Some helped to transform the cafeteria with cute pink and red Valentine’s Day decorations. They sprinkled the tables with flower petals, hung streamers and balloons, and set up a themed photo booth on one of the cafeteria walls. All of the delicious food and drinks were provided by students, from soft pretzels and cookies, to fresh fruits and vegetables. Other students volunteered their time, conversing with the senior citizens using icebreaker questions to kick start conversations about their high school experiences. Not only does this event allow seniors to get out into the community for a day of fun; it fosters real relationships between our students and the elderly citizens of Haddonfield, helping to make our community that much more connected. 

While the guests were eating and chatting among each other at the tables, Leo Club President Quincy Palmateer headed a game of “Decades Trivia,” in which she asked the group various questions about different decades. Guests were free to call out the answer if they knew it, and if they answered correctly, they won a prize: a party favor-like bag full of sweet treats and candies.

Then, when the trivia game was finished, it was time to dance. Students had created a playlist full of old songs, ones that were popular when the seniors were growing up. Several seniors helped teach the students a few of their dances. From dances with crazy footwork to partner and line dancing, the seniors were reminded of their youth and the students were transported back into the past with this fun choreography. 

This event was headed by the wonderful Leo Club advisor, Ms. Gammie, who shared her thoughts on it: “I’m so proud of all of the students who came to help out with the event. Everyone was so warm and welcoming. Sometimes, it’s hard to strike up a conversation with people you don’t know, but the students truly went above and beyond to interact with the guests, provide food, help decorate, and dance. Everyone seemed to leave happy!”

I also got opinions from the Leo Club President Quincy Palmateer on her favorite parts of the afternoon: “It’s really great seeing members of our community getting together for such a fun event! When everyone got up to learn new dances together, you could clearly see how important it is to have events like this to connect people of all ages.”

All in all, it was a blast for senior citizens and students alike. We’re so grateful to have the opportunity to put together this amazing event and can’t wait to do it again next year.