THE ISSUE
As LNP | LancasterOnlineâs Alex Geli reported Sunday, some Lancaster County high schools â including Columbia, Donegal, Hempfield and Solanco â âhave canceled their proms outright, the second year in a row the pandemic has shut down a hallowed high school tradition. Several schools have yet to iron out plans. Some, like Pequea Valley and Octorara Area, are holding more traditional proms with health protocols in place. Others arenât calling their event a prom at all, but a âpromfest,â âgalaâ or âsenior soireeâ in recognition of the fact that arrangements must stray from the traditional prom setup.â
It used to be that senior year unfolded with predictability in its pomp and circumstance: Homecoming, senior recognition nights, the spring musical, prom, commencement.
Two hours later, it was back on.
Pfeiffer, whose daughter is a senior at Ephrata High School, had an inkling the cancellation announcement would come, as social gathering restrictions associated with COVID-19 have made it difficult for schools to plan a traditional prom. So, with the schoolâs blessing, she quickly finalized a reservation she had made at Clipper Magazine Stadium, home to the Lancaster Barnstormers baseball team and a popular destination for outdoor events during the COVID-19 pandemic, a month before.
Since then, the 45-year-old mother of four and a group of Ephrata parents have planned their own prom, following health and safety guidelines like wearing masks and social distancing when eating, with the school pitching in to sell tickets.