The biggest class in AHS history will be graduating this year. With over 650 students in the class of 2013, both the class sponsor and the class officers have worked to accommodate the large class size.
Graduating class activities, such as Prom, are expensive and require huge amounts of preparation and fundraisers, which can be overwhelming or frustrating. However, the class officers have been organized since their freshman year.
“A lot of [classes] don’t realize that it’s going to happen right around the corner,” Class of 2013 sponsor Lindsay Zivney said. “They think ‘oh we’ve got four more years.’ We started fundraising right out of the gate.”
Zivney says that the group of officers that she has worked with for the past three years have been incredibly organized and she has learned a lot about them in the process.
“Well, we’ve had most of the executive board members for four years, which is amazing because I’ve really got to know them on a really personal level,” Zivney said. “[I’ve known] each one of them since freshman year; we kind of established a routine, so we meet once or twice a month.”
During those meetings, the future fundraisers, such as bake sales, are decided on. Senior class president Noah Fitzgerel organized bake sales once every two weeks in order to make as much money as possible for the class’ account.
“Our biggest fundraisers have always been the bake sales,” Fitzgerel said. “Though they’re not necessarily creative, [we’ve had] them every two weeks for the past two years, and we make enough money at a consistent rate.”
Since the seniors are the biggest class in the history of AHS, it is expected that the class officers would have to fundraise more than previous classes, which isn’t the case.
“It’s not necessarily the size of the class that has affected how we fundraise, but instead the socioeconomic demographic of our class, A large majority of the members of our class do not have the ability to purchase a large volume of merchandise and different things. It has required us to think outside the box,” Fitzgerel said.
Bake sales, coupled with restaurant fundraisers, and the sale of class merchandise such as lanyards, have raised enough money for Prom, leaving the class well-prepared for May.
“I think it’s going to be amazing; and the kids are so excited because it’s somewhere different – it’s not at the Waterford,” Zivney said. “They’re going to be forming a Prom committee which will take on a lot of tasks such as decorations and entertainment. Maybe they’ll do a dessert table, or pick out foods. I paid the deposit yesterday [Sept. 11], I went and toured the space, and it’s going to be awesome.”
The new venue will be announced at the class meeting today, Sept. 19, by the senior class officers.
Fellow seniors eagerly anticipate the announcement, with the faith in their officers that Prom will exceed all explectations.
“The officers have been amazing,” senior Rebecca Burke said. “They’re the best, they’ve gotten everything done that they need to, and they’ve gone above and beyond, and I’m so proud of them.”
