Last year, Valerie Schoeppner donned a formal dress and danced with Athens High School students at prom, even though she already had graduated.
It was a little weird. I just felt old for the most part ... (but) it had only been a year
so I shouldn't have felt that old said Schoeppner, who is an Ohio University sophomore studying education.
Athens High held its prom Saturday in the Walter Hall Rotunda, and the school does not have a policy against older guests, said Mike Meek, the principal.
Lots of students graduate and go to OU ... (so) it's usually a recent graduate or a sibling said Meek, adding that chaperones monitor the dance.
OU guests have not been a problem so far, and very few students from other schools attend, he said.
Schoeppner said her date only had to sign her up as a guest to the prom.
However, Daniel Nething, an OU junior, had to fill out a form and be introduced to the school administration in order to attend his former high school's prom.
Nething returned to Ravenna for Southeast High School's prom twice after graduation with his girlfriend Allison Durkee, now an OU freshman.
It was quite an interesting ordeal ... There are a number of complications involved (but) the biggest one is just the time frame
Nething said.
He said he would order flowers and rent his tuxedo four weeks ahead of time, which forced him to skip Friday classes to return home for tuxedo fittings. He also went back for Homecoming in the fall, and the dances often fell during midterm or finals weeks.
Nething said it was awkward returning to high school, but that it became easier the longer he was at the dance and the more often he went back.
Nething's advice to other students returning to prom is to plan ahead of time, think on a budget and be relaxed about the process, because for him, the experience was worth it.
I had gotten harangued about it some
but in general ... the guys kind of joshed me about it some
but they were pretty good-natured about it
and the girls just thought it was cute
Nething said. I think ... the stigma was more in my head than anything else.
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