Past Events - 2002

Welcome to the 2002 Senior Party Website

Posted on Wed, Jun. 12, 2002

EDINA: Power outage doesn't stop grad party
BY ANGELA MACIAS
Pioneer Press

Edina High School seniors' elaborate plans to party until dawn at the annual graduation party were short-circuited — but not abandoned — when the school's electricity was severed by thunderstorms Monday night.

"Even if there was no power, we could still have fun because we were with our class," said Carly Alexander, one of the school's more than 500 new graduates.

About 11:45 p.m., just an hour into the all-night celebration intended to keep the seniors safe after graduation ceremonies, the electricity went out in most of the building, said Libby Horner, a parent who co- chaired planning for the senior class party.

Themed classrooms — filled with everything from the school's version of "The Weakest Link" game show to fake tattoo artists and handwriting analysts — went dark. Video games and karaoke machines were of no use to the partygoers.

But the 10 months of preparing and planning for the event didn't go to waste.

Many of the activities not dependent on electricity were moved to areas still dimly lit by the school's emergency light system, Horner said. Lights in the cafeteria, which housed a mock casino, remained on during the ordeal.

The Edina fire marshal brought an emergency generator to the school about 3 a.m., providing an energy source for fans to cool the building and power to allow The Big Wu jam band to perform until the party's end.

Horner said she heard no complaints from students who spent $75 to attend the event.

"It was frustrating that the lights went out, but it was not anyone's fault," said Alexander, whose mom was among the party organizers.

"The point of the senior party is to see your friends for the last time. It was special to us," she said.