Senior (Citizen) Prom At Huntington High School

Huntington “GrandFriends” quickly bonded with the senior citizens at last year's prom.

Huntington-area senior citizens still have time to register for the “senior, senior” prom at Huntington High School, which will be held on Friday, May 8 from 4-6 p.m.

There will be food, dancing, prizes and lots of conversation. This year’s event will feature a Roaring ’20s/Great Gatsby theme. The annual event is sponsored by the high school’s GrandFriends club. There is no formal charge for the affair.

To reserve a seat, contact faculty advisor Suzi Biagi at sbiagi@hufsd.edu or 631-673-2001. Hot food and dessert will be served, prizes will be awarded and a prom king and queen will be crowned.

Last spring’s event attracted folks of all ages. The crowd appeared to have a good time with some even asking for the date of the 2015 prom a year in advance.

Huntington teacher and professional DJ Anthony Troffa will be spinning the tunes, including a litany of Frank Sinatra songs and other popular tunes. The large cafeteria will be festively decorated for the special occasion.

Not up for dancing? No problem; there will be plenty of folks nearby to chat with, including the Huntington teenagers who comprise the GrandFriends club membership.

This marks the 22nd year that GrandFriends is hosting the prom. Last year’s event drew a crowd of 90. In 2013, 191 senior citizens joined the fun while 150 participated in the 2012 event. The 2011 prom drew 148 people and in 2010 it attracted 172 seniors. There were 149 prom-goers in 2009 and 173 in 2008.

In addition to its own fundraising, the GrandFriends club receives support from the Huntington Rotary Club and Huntington High School’s student government, which allows the organization to host the prom. 

The dance is open to any senior citizen in the community. The high school, which is located at the intersection of Oakwood and McKay Roads, is completely handicapped accessible. Interested seniors citizens are encouraged to bring a friend. Those making reservations are asked to provide their name, phone number and the number of guests in their party. 

GrandFriends is an intergenerational program in which both senior citizens and teenagers develop an enriched relationship. It also serves to bridge the generation gap. The organization accomplishes its goals through visits to local senior citizen centers and satellite facilities and through various other initiatives. Several dozen students are participating in the club this year. 

Biagi and retired high school librarian Camille DeCanio are co-faculty advisors of the group, which also visits nursing homes and assisted living residences. The visits include a variety of activities such as board games, baking, crafts, reading books and magazines, letter writing and just talking, listening and laughing. 

The GrandFriends host social events and perform various related community-oriented activities. The grand finale of each year is the senior, senior prom. It traditionally attracts senior citizens from across Long Island.