LHS Class of 01 Reunion '21

Emily, eager to contribute, pulled up a shared document and began scrolling through the tentative itinerary, pointing out that the chosen banquet hall had a garden that would be perfect for a sunset cocktail hour. As they debated décor themes and music playlists, the Zoom call buzzed with excitement, each suggestion building a vivid picture of the night they all hoped would recapture the spirit of their teenage years.

Midway through the discussion, Joan’s eyebrows shot up as she glanced at the calendar on her screen, the same orange reminder now flashing a different event: “Senior Prom – May 22.” She laughed, a blend of disbelief and amusement, and said, “Emily, can you believe the reunion is scheduled for the exact same day as the senior prom at Lincoln?” Emily’s eyes widened, and she leaned forward, her voice tinged with curiosity, “Wait, the prom… that’s happening on May 22nd? I thought it was later in the month.” The realization settled like a gentle thud; the overlapping dates presented a logistical knot that could threaten the attendance of many alumni who were also parents of graduating seniors. “How did that happen?” a confused Joan asks her. “It must be some mistake. I gotta ask her about a reschedule until that is already off the table.” Joan, ever the problem‑solver, suggested they double‑check with the venue and perhaps negotiate a slight shift in timing, “Maybe we could start the reunion a little earlier, or even consider a two‑day celebration if the crowd is that big.” Emily nodded, feeling the familiar surge of collaborative energy that always accompanied their planning sessions. Thirty minutes later, Emily calls Mrs. Smith about the scheduling for the reunion. After that, Emily went back to call Joan in the zoom meeting. “Good news. Well, slightly good news. The reunion is now at twelve to four thirty. And the prom will be at seven to ten thirty.” “I guess I'm okay with that. I would have to get up early but it’s the reunion. I’ll let everybody know before they start losing their minds” Joan says, leading Emily to have a chuckle.

The conversation turned to the practicalities of balancing the two events, and Joan pulled up an email thread from the school’s alumni coordinator, who had previously mentioned a “flexible window” for the reunion to accommodate community schedules. She read aloud, “‘We understand that many families have commitments on prom night; therefore, we are open to adjusting the start time up to two hours.’” Emily’s mind raced, visualizing a possible timetable: a reception at 1 p.m., a brief intermission for parents to attend prom after‑hours, and a continuation of festivities into the evening. She suggested, “What if we host a cocktail hour from 1 to 2, then pause for a short break, and resume with dinner and dancing at 3? That way, those who need to leave for the prom can do so without missing the heart of the reunion.” Joan smiled, appreciating the compromise, and typed a quick note to the coordinator to gauge feasibility, muttering, “We’ll make it work—after all, we’ve been through worse scheduling puzzles before.”

As they drafted the revised agenda, Emily recalled a memory from their senior year when the school had thrown a surprise midnight movie marathon after prom. “Remember the time we snuck out to watch ‘Back to the Future’ on the roof?” she laughed, the nostalgia palpable in her voice. Joan chuckled, “How could I forget? We thought we were rebels, but it turned into a legendary story that still gets told at every alumni gathering.” The reminiscence added a layer of emotional depth to their planning, reinforcing the idea that the reunion should honor both the past and the present.