Grants after-prom event includes breakfast

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Following a one-year hiatus, the annual “After-prom Breakfast” returns to Future Foundations Family Center in the early morning hours of April 26.
The first year the breakfast was held was 2002. It has been held each year since, except for last year, because there were not enough staff members available to assure a properly supervised event, said Laura Malaj, executive director of the center.

“I went in 2006 and it was great,” said Ashley Griego, 18, who graduated from Grants High School in 2007. “The pancakes were really good,” she said.

Students and their dates who attend the prom now have a safe and supervised place for them to go for fun, activities and breakfast, Griego said.

Malaj said this year’s event, again at the center at 550 Washington Ave., will have music played by a staff member, working as a DJ; a boxing ring with over sized boxing gloves; a jumping castle; and for the first time ever, laser tag.

“We serve pancakes, bacon, sausage, orange juice, tomato juice, coffee and soft drinks,” she said.

The center expects about 100 students to attend the event which begins immediately following the prom and ends at 3 a.m., she said.

No drinking, no drugs

“We also see this as a perfect opportunity to present anti-tobacco information and don’t drink and drive information to teens,” said Jesse James, 16, a GHS junior and a member of the center’s youth council, which sponsors the event each year.

Griego said the breakfast also offers an opportunity for students to go to a place where there is no smoking, no drinking and no drugs, which are present at a multitude of parties that are privately held every year after prom.

“It really helps keep kids from getting into trouble,” she said.

Dale Good, who is now the special events coordinator and youth council coordinator for the center, said he attended the first such breakfast in 2002.

“There were about 25 to 30 kids there and all it was that year was breakfast and a little time to socialize and then go home,” he said.

Today with the addition of all the events, activities and music, a significant number of students who attend the prom attend the breakfast and stay longer, Good said.
Less than 200 students usually attend the prom at GHS, Malaj said.

“Students may not leave and return,” Malaj said. “Once they’re gone, they stay gone.”

Grants police officers attend the event, often eating breakfast with the students and socializing with them as well, she said.

Hawaiian theme

There is a Hawaiian theme this year and the gymnasium at the center will be decorated in that manner.

“There will be no hula dancers though,” she said.

Some door prizes will be offered again this year. In previous years door prizes have included such items as T-shirts, movie passes, free haircuts and one year, iPods.
Youth council members will attend the breakfast as well and will cook, serve and make sure then center is clean before leaving, James said.

“We will be putting three large mats on the gymnasium floor to protect it from street shoes and high heels, setting up about 30 tables and 150 chairs before the breakfast starts,” he said.

There are between 10-15 members of the high school aged youth council, varying during the year as some members have other commitments, such as sports and family time.

Members of the council attend Youth Empowerment Advocacy Heroes events year round for training in leadership and other areas, James said.
Information: (505) 285-3542.