Volunteers keep AfterProm alive in Barrington

AfterProm: Hypnotist, mechanical bull, tattoos and more

By Josh Bickford
Posted 4/28/17

What does it take to plan one of the biggest parties in town each year?

Ask Carly Johnson and Emily Bedard.

The two Barrington High School students have spent much of the school year helping …

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Volunteers keep AfterProm alive in Barrington

AfterProm: Hypnotist, mechanical bull, tattoos and more

Posted

What does it take to plan one of the biggest parties in town each year?

Ask Carly Johnson and Emily Bedard.

The two Barrington High School students have spent much of the school year helping organize the annual AfterProm party. The event, which offers students a safe, substance-free alternative on prom night, draws a large crowd each year. Officials estimate that more than 90 percent of the senior class attends the all-night party at the high school.

Barrington High School earns gold medal ranking.

Carly and Emily have been helping plan the event as part of their senior projects. The two girls have worked with Jamie Triebwasser and other volunteers to coordinate everything from decorations — this year's theme is Outer Space — to food to hiring performers. 

"We've done a lot of fund-raising," said Emily. 

The two girls helped recruit local businesses to donate items for the BHS AfterProm, which will start at 11:30 p.m. on May 12 and end at about 6 a.m. on May 13. They have stood outside the Shaw's Supermarket in the Barrington Shopping Center to collect donations.

Carly said she did not mind all the work. She knows that the final product will make prom night memorable for her and her classmates. 

Ms. Triebwasser has been helping run the BHS AfterProms since 2004, when her oldest child was a senior. Now the youngest of her six children is a senior, and following this year, Ms. Triebwasser will step down as one of the key organizers.

Ms. Triebwasser said she does not mind the countless hours of work she has put in, and is confident that other volunteers, including Carly and Emily, feel the same way.

"If we're saving just one life, it's worth it," she said.

Prom night had built a reputation for being one of the most dangerous nights of the year for high school students, but the effort of volunteers in Barrington has done much to combat that. Now, almost all the students attending the prom will head straight to AfterProm following the dance. 

Once they're inside the school, students are not allowed to exit and re-enter. But that is not usually a problem, as officials plan lots of entertainment and fun activities. This year there will be a casino set up inside the school, mechanical bull rides, an obstacle course, laser tag, sticky-ball dodgeball, a tattoo artist (don't worry parents, they are airbrushed tattoos), a palm reader and a hypnotist.

Carly and Emily said they are most excited about the hypnotist. Both girls have heard the stories of prior year's AfterProms and how much fun it is to watch students become hypnotized and do silly things on stage. 

There will also be a lot of food and refreshments at the party. In addition to local pizza shops and donations from Bagels Etc., there will also be a large donation from Chick fil A.

Near the end of the event — at about 4:30 or 5 a.m., as the event runs all night long — students file into the auditorium for the raffle. Prizes are always top-notch, and this year is no different. Ms. Triebwasser said there will be a MacBook laptop computer, a paddle board, speakers, wireless headphones, and possibly some bicycles. There are also lots of gift baskets containing items donated from stores all over Barrington.

Ms. Triebwasser said that every senior who attends AfterProm will go home with a gift.

The volunteers wanted to make a special point of thanking all the residents and business owners who donated to this year's Barrington High School AfterProm.

Changing of the guard

This year will mark the final time Jamie Triebwasser and a host of other individuals volunteer to organize the Barrington High School AfterProm. Ms. Triebwasser and Tanya DiMarco will step down as co-chairs, handing over the reigns to a new team:

• Chairs: Lisa Daft, Diane Tine, Dee O'Hayre and Ann Gasbarro

• Decorating committee: Tracey Tisler, Jen Auber, Lisa Monti and Lyn Tilden take over for Rachel Mellen and Tracy Daugherty

• Food: Amy Gorman takes over for Tom Clancy

• Raffle: Rosemaria and Mishel Middleton

• Casino: Ben Middleton

• Check-in: Katy Roy

• Volunteer suite: Nichole Collins and Susan Hoder

• Volunteer coordinator: Patty Ridlon

• Clean-up: Kathy Flaherty

• Tech advisor: Nick Toman

Get a preview

People in the community are invited to stop by Barrington High School on Friday, May 12 to see how the school is transformed for the AfterProm party. People can stop in any time after classes end and before 10 p.m. "We would also love the community to pay it forward (if they want this to continue)," said volunteer Jamie Triebwasser, "or pay it backwards if they had students attend and arrive home safely." AfterProm organizers are also looking for more volunteers for the event. Just send an email to mapatrieb@gmail.com

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