Port Jefferson's homespun prom tradition continues

Senior prom in Port Jefferson Monday night had all the markings of a traditional prom - formal wear, corsages and limousines.

But the night was anything but typical.

Earl L. Vandermeulen High School seniors didn't head off to a club or catering hall. Instead, they entered the very gymnasium where they cheered as spectators and sweated in phys ed. But if they didn't recognize the inside of the gym, they'd be forgiven.

Parents spent the weekend remaking the gym for the prom - after 10 months of planning and work.

They transformed not only the gym, but also its hallways and restrooms, into "The Royal Game of Life," creating life-size versions of popular board games such as Candy Land and Monopoly. "It's like Extreme Makeover - Prom Edition," said Lauren Sheprow, a parent of twin seniors.

Her daughter Sierra, 18, said the hard work by her mom and other parents really showed Monday night.

"It looks amazing," Sierra Echegaray said as she walked a red carpet with her date Tom Lento. "My mom spent so much time on this, and it's even better than I expected."

As the couple and other promgoers made their way to the gym, they passed a throng of nearly 400 cheering parents, friends and family lining the red carpet as spotlights lit up their path and cameras flashed.

The Port Jefferson prom tradition began in 1957 after a drunken-driving car accident on prom night killed a Vandermeulen student. Parents petitioned to hold the following year's prom in the gymnasium, a practice now in its 53rd year.

The parents raised almost $40,000 this year and have worked up to 20 hours a week since September. "Our kids haven't had clean laundry or cooked meals in months because we've been so busy here," joked parent Michele Lennon, "but it will all pay off on prom night.

"It's therapeutic for parents to come out for a few hours and just paint. Some find hidden artistic ability," she said. "But the best part is the community effort - everyone bonds together as a group and you end up making great friends."

Other parents agree: "Once you work on prom with someone, you become blood brothers," said Peter Hahn, the lead artist who designed the scenery. He has been involved since his daughter attended prom in 1995.

With 138 prom tickets sold, every senior will be attending, a claim that many high schools cannot make. And keeping with the tradition of "responsible prom," the night will wind up at 5 a.m., after the students have an early breakfast at a nearby diner.

Many of the parents involved were Vandermeulen graduates themselves. "The scale of it all has changed a lot since my prom - it's a lot bigger now," said Lee Rosner, a senior parent whose 1976 prom theme was "Circus." "But the fact that it's a gift from the parents to the seniors has never changed."

And it's a tradition that appears to bond generations.

"The great thing is that you can talk to anyone who has graduated from Vandermeulen, and the first thing they'll say is, 'What was your prom theme?' " said Michael Lyons, a senior parent.