Somerville High senior class officers Zoe King and Mattie Barber-Bockelman were among the first to sign the Somerville High School Prom Pledge at a pre-prom seminar last week.

SHS seniors sign prom pledge

By Elizabeth Sheeran

When Somerville High seniors step into prom night Friday evening, they’ll find the Cambridge Marriott ballroom suitably sparkling, illustrating a “Diamonds Are Forever” theme chosen to express the idea that the friendships of the Class of 2012 will last a lifetime. And amidst all those diamonds will be another key piece of prom décor: an eight-foot-long banner signed by hundreds of seniors, pledging to enjoy a safe, chemical-free prom.

The banner debuted at a pre-prom seminar at the high school last week, where educators and public officials joined forces to help this year’s grads make good choices. Along with sobering statistics about teen car accidents and the legal consequences of underage drinking, drug use or impaired driving, seniors heard of promising teens whose lives were cut short or altered forever because of bad choices during their final days of high school.

“We’re here today because we care about you. We want everyone who is here today to be here on the last day of school and thereafter, and that doesn’t always happen in my business.” said keynote speaker Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone, who shared several stories, including that of a classmate of his own who was killed in a car crash just days before graduation.

“Our hope for all of you is that you have a wonderful and memorable night. What we don’t want is for you to remember the prom for the wrong reasons,” said Assistant Principal Joe Burke, this year’s prom coordinator, who spelled out the immediate consequences for students who break the rules at prom. Students caught with alcohol or drugs or who are under the influence will be sent home with parents, suspended for six days, and barred from participating in Class Day or crossing the stage at graduation. “Those are privileges you must earn,” said Burke.

He said the school isn’t taking any chances when it comes to safety, including pre-screening every prom guest, making parents call in to verify prom night contact information, and mustering a near-platoon of chaperones. Parents can help by asking questions about prom-night plans and letting kids know they’re ready with a safe ride home at any time, no matter what. But teens ultimately have to make the right choices for themselves, which is why it’s so important to arm them with a clear understanding of the dangers and consequences of bad decisions.

School Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi and senior class officers unveil the Somerville High School Prom Pledge at a pre-prom seminar last week, as District Attorney Gerry Leone looks on. ~Photos by Elizabeth Sheeran

Senior class officer Thomas Kennedy said the seminar was a good idea, even if it prompted just a few of his classmates to think more about their actions. “It’s a good thing to keep jamming it into kids’ heads. Most kids say, ‘it won’t happen to me.’ I don’t think they think about it much, so this helps,” said Kennedy.

Cory Mashburn, director of Somerville Cares About Prevention, said that “it-can’t-happen-to-me” attitude is why adults have to be direct with teens. Students were visibly moved when Mashburn shared his own first-hand account of a graduation night accident, which took two teenage lives and destroyed a promising future for his best friend, who was driving the car.

Mashburn initiated the concept of the Somerville High Prom Pledge along with Student Services Director Rich Melillo as a way to get students directly involved in taking responsibility for their decisions on prom night. “When people sign something, they take a stand for themselves. We all know when we sign our name to something, that’s a big thing,” said Mashburn.

Senior Class President Mattie Barber-Bockelman, who was one of the first students to sign the pledge last week, said it’s a great way for students to visibly support each other in making better choices, which matters a lot, since teens are often more influenced by their peers than anyone else. “It encourages kids who have made good decisions. It makes them feel more comfortable to take that route,” she said.

Come Friday evening, she and a dozen of her friends will shun driving altogether, riding the Red Line from Somerville to Kendall Square in their prom formalwear. “It’s kind of cool to go on the subway, because it’s a big spectacle,” said Barber-Bockelman, who has spent the last year planning an evening to remember, and doesn’t want to see anything ruin it for anyone.

Advocates say it’s that kind of choice – where celebrating seniors find a way to have fun while staying safe – that will ensure that the “forever” in “Diamonds Are Forever” really does endure long after graduation.