Senior All Nighter: Traditional Party After Graduation Prepares To Launch

You don't have to tell Theresa Normile how successful the annual "All Night Graduation Party" for Belmont High School seniors can be. She and her husband, Patrick, had a wonderful time at theirs 30 years ago when they graduated from Belmont High.

And last year her daughter, Brianna, attended the four-decade-old event held in the cafeteria and other locations of the school. 

Now, as one of the 35 core leaders putting together this year's graduation party for the approximately 260 seniors who are graduating next month, Normile is excited that all the separate pieces are coming together to present another successful party together.

"It's a chance to be one last time with your friends all in one place before the summer and then to college or work," said Normile. 

This year's night-long celebration of games, activities, prizes, photographs and just hanging out will begin on Sunday night at 9 p.m., June 2 and last until the morning of Monday. 

"Merchants have been great with providing gift cards and supplies," said Normile. 

The All Night Party has become a popular tradition at high schools across the country where seniors who have received their diplomas a few hours earlier will have, what Normile calls, their "last hurrah."

The party allows the students to celebrate in a controlled, alcohol-free environment rather then going out on their own for unsupervised activities.

At Belmont High School, the theme for each years party varies from recent examples including "Harry Potter" to "Titanic" and "The Wizard of Oz." 

And despite efforts to pry it from her, Normile has said none of the parents have let on what this year's motif will be. 

"All I can say is that it's well underway." said Normile, who said the actually creation of the party "set" will begin Friday night and last until Sunday. 

Parents of juniors are asked to volunteer and run the logistics of preparing, fund raising and running the party, said Normile, whose son, Tyler, is junior class president. This year, about a third of the junior parents have volunteered in some way to help pull off the event.

This year, the All Night Party will have its first primary sponsor in East Cambridge Savings Bank. The bank is donate $15 per student who attends the party to defray the total cost of holding the event. 

The Bank's donation has reduced the price of each graduate's ticket to $20, down from $35 for last year's ticket price.

Branch manager Linda Balduc said she was made aware of the challenges the parents have each year and decided to made the donation so the students "can come away with a last memory that will last forever."

Students will have the opportunity to join in on an bank-run campaign for a free checking account, "as a way to explain and open an account with a low minimum balance, an ATM/Debit card and on-line banking, all geared to their generation."

"It is financial skills they will need as they become more independent in the months to come," said Balduc.

Even with the banks backing, the organizing committee is seeking funds to keep the party costs down.

Donations can be sent to:

Belmont High School Graduation Party

East Cambridge Savings Bank

Trapelo Road Banking Center

395 Trapelo Road,

Belmont, MA 02478