The upcoming months are a busy time for seniors. Whether it is prom or graduation, these things do not just happen without a lot of planning. With the help of senior class advise, Steve Blankenship, we are able to have these things basically planned, organized and set up for us.

After working with Rebecca Mehrens-Peters for three years, Blankenship has perfected the art of planning the senior prom and graduation here at LHS. Now that Meherns-Peters has retired, Blankenship has taken over and works with Meghan Anderson-Finch to plan the senior activities.

“We start [planning prom and graduation] right around the holiday break and near the beginning of the first semester and that is when it kind of picks up,” said Blankenship.

At the beginning of the school year, students run for senior class office and then are picked around holiday break. After they are picked, the officers meet with Blankenship and Anderson-Finch to decide on a theme for prom and organize the lip sync battle to raise money for prom.

Once the theme is decided, Blankenship and Anderson-Finch spend the next couple months going through prom magazines deciding what decorations to buy. After all the decorations are ordered, the Friday before prom, Blankenship, Anderson-Finch, the senior class officers and a few selected juniors go out and set up the Shrine for the event. Blankenship, Anderson-Finch and the rest of the juniors spend the rest of the Saturday of prom setting up, working and making it look the best it can for prom that night.

After prom is over, the senior class officers and the senior class advise listen to all those students who have applied as graduation speakers and narrow it down to one. Once that is done, more juniors are selected to help seat seniors at graduation.

Without the help of planning, working and organization from Blankenship, things like prom and graduation wouldn’t be able to happen.