By STEVEN VIERA
Staff Writer
SPOTSWOOD — High school students were not the only ones who got the opportunity to enjoy prom celebrations recently.
Members of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) from Memorial Middle School held a “Senior Prom” where they invited senior citizens from Spotswood and Helmetta to a night of music and dancing.
“The purpose of the prom is to bring together two very different generations and teach the NJHS members about helping out seniors in the community,” said Tami McGeachy, service coordinator and social worker for Crescent Park Senior Housing. “Events like this prevent isolation in the senior community and give them a reason to leave the house. Seniors do not have enough activities to keep them engaged in the community.”
Students in NJHS organized the event and prepared baked goods, collected food donations and decorations and invited seniors from the community and within their own families to attend the prom, which took place on the evening of June 9 in the cafeteria of Memorial Middle School.
Crescent Park helped by providing transportation to seniors. Local DJ Wacky Wayne provided entertainment, and ShopRite of Spotswood donated dinner.
“The Senior Prom was a wonderful success, and many of our students were able to sit and talk and dance with the seniors. Everyone had a wonderful time, and we will certainly be turning this into a tradition,” said NJHS Advisor Kristen Carpenter.
According to Carpenter, NJHS also runs fundraisers that benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Friends of Kids with Cancer and recently the Middlesex County Veterans of Foreign Wars to help homeless veterans.
