by Thomas Hobson
Child Life Director

If you’ve been out to dinner on Friday or Saturday night any time over the past few weekends (and a few coming up), you have seen the flocks of high school students dressed up.  The girls are wearing any variety of gowns and have obviously spent a great deal of time getting their look just perfect.  The boys, on the other hand, just look uncomfortable wearing a tux.  This can only mean one thing: prom season has arrived!

Well, just because you’re in the hospital doesn’t mean that you have to miss the prom.  That’s right, we have a prom here at Le Bonheur Children’s.  Hey, we are a “Section VII Special Purpose Non-Public School” after all.  What’s more impressive is that the Le Bonheur Children’s Teen Advisory Council puts on the prom.  The Teen Council makes sure that it has that special touch to make the experience complete.

I should take the chance to mention that this is not like other proms that high school students go to.  In fact, it’s the exact opposite.  It is called the Wacky Tacky Prom, and it lives up to its name.  This year will be the 3rd Annual Wacky Tacky Prom, and it promises to be bigger than the previous two years.

Let’s face it, no one brings formal wear when they come to the hospital.  Why would you?  Instead, the Teen Advisory Council has collect old prom dresses, bridesmaid dress, and any other variety of dress-up clothes.  The goal is to dress as wildly (and ugly) as possible, which goes to match to decorations.  Patients and their families are invited to join in the fun, and once there they get to dance the night away.

Once we have the Wacky Tacky Prom, I’ll post some of the pictures from the event.  I promise it will be worth reading.