16-05-2025
Flashback Friday: A graduation celebration
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Chances are someone you know is graduating from high school or college this spring and we know that parents want their kids to be safe while celebrating the special occasion.
In this week's Flashback Friday, KELOLAND's Beth Hughes takes us back to 1985 for a look at how high school seniors were safely celebrating their graduation.
Like a Molotov cocktail drinking and driving at graduation time can be an explosive mix, last year in South Dakota 13 teenagers died in alcohol related accidents, 7 of those happened in the three months of May through July.
With that in mind a group of Lincoln high parents is planning something different, an all night graduation party at the school.
'We decided four years ago that it would be fun to be able to do something really neat for our kids we wanted to take the time and energy that it takes to do something fun and give them a safe party.'
But this is no ordinary party when all this is set up there will be a room with $7,000 worth of prizes ranging from stereos to microwaves, there will be a French style restaurant, and a game room where students can climb and throw instead of drink and drive if you think this is all hard to resist, you're right.
'Everybody's fascinated because there's such a big turnout and it all the parents are just proud of all the kids that are showing up after graduation.'
'Well it is a record number this year and probably from the seniors last year came back and told us about it.'
The word has spread to other schools, O'Gorman had an all night party Sunday after its commencement and some Washington High parents are looking into doing something similar for their seniors next year.
Beth Hughes, KELOLAND News.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
