Prom show students at their best

I joined my daughter and grandson as a chaperone at Manatee High School's Prom on May 14 at the Polo Grill in Lakewood Ranch. My own prom was 42 years ago in Detroit. Much has changed, particularly the music. But much about our young people remains the same. At this last celebration before graduation, students want to mingle, talk, and most of all, dance.

My daughter and grandson, both MHS graduates, were impressed at how polite the prom attendees were. I agree. We worked the table where the students checked-in shoes, purses, phones, tuxedo jackets, etc., so they could hit the dance floor without encumbrances. Without exception, the students thanked us for our help.

Staging a prom is a complicated process. There is always a balancing act between assuring the safety of the students and letting them have fun. It was clear that MHS math teacher Amanda Granstad, who has organized the MHS prom for many years, has it down as science. By the time the last students left at midnight, Ms. Granstad had the cleanup well under way.

The School Resource Officers (SRO's) from the Bradenton Police Department were there. They kept a watchful eye of the proceedings, but did not need to intervene because the students took it upon themselves to follow the rules.

Based on what we saw at the MHS Prom, the teachers and parents in our community have good cause to be proud of our students. If you are asked to donate your time to chaperoning a school event or serving on a School Advisory Council (SAC), do it. Dedicated teachers like Amanda Granstad can always use a helping hand. Public education works best when the community is involved.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 1:24 PM with the headline "Prom show students at their best."