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Prom, Graduation Likely for Class of 2021

Ms. GM greets Class of 2020 graduate Sarah Garcia

By Olivia Yin and Dylan Harrison

This week the administration has come to the exciting decision that they will be holding in-person prom and graduation. This comes after New York State approved non-essential gatherings of 150 people or less, meaning that our senior class of around 135 is permitted to gather for both prom and graduation.

Although the information about prom is not 100% certain because decisions are still being made, students and staff are doing their best to make it happen.

According to Allie Rosenberg, a senior and a member of the senior student council, it seems that only Irvington seniors will be able to attend prom, no outside guests or underclassmen. In order to keep prom safe for students that want to attend, the school is trying to scheduled an outdoor event. 

Graduation, as usual, will also be an outdoor event, says senior class advisor and English teacher Ms. Ippolito. Ms. GM, Ms. Ippolito, and the senior student council have been meeting to discuss ways of holding both events.

Even a senior-only prom isn’t a done deal, however, as they review options of where to hold the event. The options for prom at the moment are Ardsley Country Club and LIFE the Place to Be, with price being the deciding factor. Both venues come with an increase in cost because of COVID-related safety fees.

While the plan is to hold prom, it cannot be held if it is cost prohibitive for students. Ms. GM, however, assured The Paw Print that with help from the Bulldog Family Fund the costs are expected to remain the same.

Graduation will also be held outdoors as it normally is at Mathieson park with the senior awards ceremony to be held at the DoubleTree in Tarrytown. If the non-essential gathering quota remains at 150 at the time of graduation then both the graduation and awards ceremony will be live streamed so that parents can share the experience with their children. The events will be streamed through Local Live.

Another exciting addition to this year will be the continuation of the senior car parade. Ms. Ippolito confirmed that IHS plans to continue the car parade which was something that was unique to last year because of the fact that parents were not able to attend graduation.