With the meaning to reflect on rural life, “Rustic Reviere” was this year’s prom theme.
Held on May 3, the grand march in the old gym had prom attendees strutting through boughs of ivy and candle-lit baubles hung from rough-hewn wood beams.
After, prom attendees danced to DJ music by Kern Brothers Entertainment.
From there, it was directly to the commons and new gym, where the junior parents hosted the after-prom party. Its theme was, appropriately, “Get your game on,” and activities included escape houses, cornhole, golf, ladder toss, ping-pong, axe throwing, ring toss, foosball and more.
Attendees could get their caricature drawn by Scott Lassiter, play a game of cards, take a photo in a photo booth, paint decorate a tote bag and have their arms and hands tattooed with henna.
Plenty of food was on hand with the main course, spaghetti and trimmings, donated by the Olive Garden. Drawings for prizes, big and small, were held at the party close.
The after-prom party was supported by more than 120 organizations.
A decades-old tradition in the US, prom is a coming-of-age event and a celebration of the high school experience. It is also one of the few rites of passage that allows students to exhibit themselves as developing adults. The boys don tuxedos or suits, and the girls wear elegant dresses, discarding any appearance of adolescence…if only for one evening.
Above: Couples line up for the grand march.
The valet parking crew included, from L-R, Rich Draheim, Brett Bartell, Pat Lotspeich, Ervey Duron, Heidi Hollerich, John Kluntz, Travis Mons and Don McCabe.
Escorting Ava Hahn, Kale Kelley pulled up to the prom in a 1966 Mustang hardtop.
Dressed to the nines and almost too cool for prom was this group, from L-R, front row: Gavin Karels, Carter Reintjes, Kale Kelley, Reid Knish, Mason Kluntz and Tanner Simonette. Row two: TJ Waldron, Joe Yokiel, Noah Hermel and Alex Kortuem. Row three: Brennan Kortuem, Blake Lyons, David Draheim, Bode Bartell and Nathan Seeman. Row four: Riley Kriha, Nick Simonette and Alex Johnson.
Advisor Kyle Atherton adjusts Nick Simonette’s tie.
Junior class co-presidents Carter Kern and Vivian Hilfer introduced the grand march.
Mistress and master of ceremony Liviana Lee escorted by Tanner Simonette
Senior Class President Ariel Murphy escorted by Jackson Bowen
Amelia Chmiel escorted by Nathan Seeman
Kaitlyn Flowers escorted by Bode Bartell
Taylor McCabe escorted by Alex Kortuem
Maile Meissner and Mylie Dylla
Keira Schipper escorted by Noah Hermel
Samantha Baker escorted by Joe Yokiel
Emma Bluhm and Vanessa Wondra
Mollie Bowman escorted by Mason Kluntz
Deandra Doerr and Kayla Bauer
Junior class co-president Vivian Hilfer escorted by Amos Anderson
Mickayla Jenzen escorted by Dakai Williams
Anna Kawatski-Klein escorted by Reid Knish
Sierra McCabe escorted by junior class co-president Carter Kern
Melissa Miller and Dacota Lotspeich
Amya Ratke escorted by Alex Johnson
Olivia Reinhardt escorted by Elijah Mons
Madison Wollschlager escorted by Max Esser
Bryn Woodrum escorted by Gavin Dent
Jocelyn Bartell escorted by Carter Reintjes
Allison Cink escorted by Gavin Jensen
Ellie Esser escorted by Gavin Karels
Chloe Haack
Ava Hahn escorted by Kale Kelley
Evelyn Keltgen
Mylie Krenik escorted by David Draheim
Maya Lassiter escorted by Thayne Remiger
Kamryn Lindsay escorted by Wesley Becker
Lacey McCabe escorted by Riley Kriha
Brenna McCarthy escorted by Blake Lyons
Savannah Meyer escorted by Nick Simonette
Sophie Perkins escorted by Tristan (TJ) Waldron
MacKenzie Smith escorted by Spencer Flitte
Kendra Zimmerman escorted by Jackson Bowen
With their names drawn out of a hat, Gavin Dent was prom king, and Dacota Lotspeich was prom queen.
Members of the sophomore class line up for a group selfie.
Members of the junior class setup in a pyramid.
Members of the senior class
Dancing to the “Cupid Shuffle”
Tanner Simonette, Kale Kelley, Brenna McCarthy, Ava Hahn and Mylie Krenik sign up to do the escape house, rooms where they had to look for clues and open boxes to move on to the next room, all before time ran out.
The Olive Garden made a generous food donation.
Attendees gather around the dessert table.
Kyle Connor, Brennan Kortuem, Blake Lyons and TJ Waldron compete in a round of corn hole.
Joe Yokiel, Ried Knish, Martavis Williams, and Gavin Karels compete in corn hole.
Liviana Lee and Samantha Baker at the ping-pong table
Jackson Bowen, Kamryn Lindsay, Dominic Anderson and Ariel Murphy try to find their way out of one of two escape houses set up in the commons.
Kendra Zimmerman at the henna boutique
Tanner Simonette, Bode Bartell, Kale Kelly, Anna Kawatski-Klein, Blake Lyons were having a difficult time getting out of the first room of an escape house and into the second room.
The prize table
Scott Lassiter draws a caricature of Bryn Woodrum and Gavin Dent.
TJ Waldron, Mylie Krenik, Brenna McCarthy and Ava Hahn compete in corn hole.
Max Esser, Dominic Anderson and Blake Gibbs at the foosball table
Carter Rentjes takes a hack at the putting and chipping booth.
The photo booth
Another golf skill game
In search of the next clue, Martavis Williams, Brennan Kortuem, Mason Kluntz, Gavin Karels and Alex Kortuem attempt to unlock a case in one of the escape booths.
Sophie Perkins gets a henna tattoo.
Jackson Bowen and Evelyn Keltgen painted tote bags.
Video: Dancing to the “Cupid Shuffle”
