News - Secret Project "All-Nighter"

CONGRATS to the 2016 graduating class of Marlboro High School! It is hard to believe the day has already come and gone. The senior All-Nighter is a long standing tradition at Marlboro High School, a tradition the community should be very proud of. The event is traditionally held immediately after prom and offers the seniors a safe place to continue the celebration.

The planning for the night actually begins the September prior when our sons and daughters are just entering their senior year. Various committees are formed and responsibilities are reviewed. I had volunteered when Matty was a junior and worked the check in table at the high school. It was a painless short 2 hours on a Friday night-the kids were great, happy and smiling. I had a blast.

This year however I decided I wanted to be a bit more involved. I attended that first early planning meeting, you know the old adage "careful what you wish for"...Before I knew it, I was the the head of the decorating committee. Yikes - now what?!

I had never actually been to the All-Nighter so really had no idea how decorations were handled. Not having any sort of visual reference from previous years, I was unclear about what was expected but knew I did not want to disappoint. So in typical "me" fashion, I put on my best "Martha Stewart" and got busy!

In my previous career (before my current gig as a full-time artist) I was not only a salesperson but a project manager. I immediately put all of my pm skills to use and approached the "Decorations" as a project to be tackled. I formed a small task force, divided up the venue in areas and "assigned" a theme and responsibility to each. OK I think I can do this....

Every year there is a theme around which the event is centered - for the 2016 class we decided on "Under the Sea". The theme was a nod to the senior class color (teal blue) and a reference to their junior Step-Up Day (in which the class decided to hold a pool party in the school parking lot) So we started with teal blue, water and just went from there....

The theme by the way, was a closely guarded secret which is no small feat considering how nosy most teenagers are...you know what I mean - everything is their business except when it comes to knowing their business and then they have nothing to say...funny how that works. In either case, we pulled it off. My son did however know the theme and was very good about not spilling the beans to his classmates - it's kind of hard to hide three 10' sections of a ship replica that you built in your dining room...

I am forever grateful to the decorating committee team for their time at our painting parties, contribution of their ideas and enthusiasm. I had a wonderful crew of supporters - who are more creative than they give themselves credit for. Thank you also for the larger group of helpers which assisted the night of the event in hanging all of the decorations. To my core team -Lisa, Linda, Jodi, Karen and Jackie - Thank you! Thank you! You ladies rock and I could not have pulled it off without your help.