Senior Parties Graduate To New Level Plenty Of Fun, No Drinking As Dozens Of Parents Pitch In
Seniors at Mead High School drove too fast, gambled away their money and partied almost until dawn.
It’s what their parents and teachers wanted them to do.
“I feel so much better knowing where she is,” said Sheila Dombroski, the mother of Kristi Yatkowski .
After nearly 600 Mead seniors participated in graduation ceremonies at the Spokane Arena on Thursday night, about 400 of them slid over to the YMCA for the school’s 12th annual after-graduation party.
The bash, an alternative to underage drinking parties, lasted until 4 a.m.
Students played blackjack and roulette with toy money in rooms usually reserved for aerobics and yoga. Others played Twister in the weight room. Three-on-three basketball games erupted in the gym at midnight next to the dance floor, which sprang to life at 2 a.m.
“Even though parents are here and stuff, this is cool,” said Mike Lehr, who raced a remote-control car on an oval track.
“You’re not going to find anybody in here drinking or smoking dope,” Lehr said. “I heard some students say they were going to try to drink a little and try to come in here, but I don’t know, they got cops in here.”
A few Spokane police officers were on duty, and a group of at least five supervising adults watched the front door at all times. There were close to 100 parents at the party.
Meanwhile, Jonna Fallis lost big at one of 10 blackjack tables.
“Here,” she told the dealer, “I’m putting it all down.”
Fallis stayed with a hand of 16. The house won with a 17.
“Well, I just lost $4,000,” Fallis said. “I’ve got to get some of it back.”
She recouped some of the play dough at a raffle and other game booths erected on the Y’s racquetball courts.
Randy Mickelson, a teacher at Mead for 13 years, said he wished there’d been such an event when he graduated from high school.
“When I graduated, I went over to Lake Pend Oreille and, uh, I can’t finish this story. I’ll just say, I think this is a great alternative to what I did with some of my friends.”
Mead’s party required months of planning.
The school’s after-graduation committee had its first meeting in September, said Rich Wallace, whose son Rick was among the students enjoying themselves Thursday night.
“It’s a big event. It’s got a strong history, and that’s what makes it work,” Wallace said.
Lehr, who will attend Washington State University in the fall, said most seniors looked forward to the party.
“I want to enjoy this night,” he said. “This will probably be the last chance I get to see a lot of these people.”
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