School hosts very first prom thanks to Nathan (From Worcester News)

School hosts very first prom thanks to Nathan

9:41am Wednesday 24th June 2009

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WITH the end of the exam season on the horizon for many schoolchildren and for some the last few days of school, there is just one more thing to look forward to – the school prom.

Over the last few years the popularity of the glitzy events marking the end of the school year have grown in popularity with the majority of schools in Worcestershire taking on this idea and playing host to them.

Hundreds of pounds can be spent on the one night for dresses, tuxedos and limos to transport the children to the destination – and it seems to have become quite big business.

At one Worcester school, although they have held discos, the prom seemed to have passed them by. That was until this year and it’s all thanks to one very enterprising student.

For 16-year-old Nathan Mahoney, who goes to the Regency High School in Warndon, which caters children with a range of physical, sensory, medical and learning needs, an idea for a prom soon blossomed into reality.

Following a stint as the school council chairman, he became interested in organising the school’s very first prom.

The year 11 pupil, who has been at the school for the past six years, said he thought it was important for them to have the event.

“One of my teachers Mrs Anderson said at her previous school they had a prom and wanted to know why we didn’t too.

“I thought it seemed like a really good idea and although we have a disco at the end of the year, we should have a proper prom too, just like the other schools.

“So I had a talk with the school council and they liked the idea too so I thought I would be able to organise one for us.”

Nathan then went about trying to find a good venue for their prom, which they will be holding in mid-July, and organised a meeting with Kathy Leather from the Worcester Warriors about hiring one of their rooms.

“When I spoke to her she was very kind and invited me for a meeting.

“We met for about an hour to discuss what we wanted for the evening, and she suggested the Duckworth Suite, which, when I saw it, knew that it would be perfect. I then wrote letters to everyone in the school to find out if they wanted to go.

“I really thought we wouldn’t get many interested as they might be too shy to go, but amazingly I got about 40 people replying.

“Because I was worried some wouldn’t be very comfortable going on their own, I did also say they would be able to bring one guest who perhaps didn’t go to the school,” he said.

Ms Leather, commercial director at the club, said she had been so impressed with Nathan’s hard work, and wanted to help make the evening as special as possible for him, the club let him hire the room for free.

“He has really thought this all through.

“We wanted to make this special for him.

“He was such a lovely boy and although he was a little bit nervous to begin with, he soon settled into it and we saw how much he wanted to do this and give everyone a lovely time.

“He is putting such a lot of his time and energy into this that I’m sure it will be a night for everyone to remember their first prom,” she said.

Nathan has organised two DJs for the entertainment called Lucy and Gemma Knight who will be playing on the evening.

The school, formerly Rose Hill, School, is fully behind Nathan and his plans for the prom, and are supporting him in anyway they can.

Headteacher Frank Steel said: “I think it was a brilliant idea and we are really pleased that he came up with something and is putting so much time and effort into organising it,” he said.

“We are proud that the school will be able to say that it has its first prom and it has been organised so well.”

Nathan’s teacher Liz Graham said: “We are all really proud of him. One of the lessons he is learning is how to be organised and to think things through before he does it.”

Despite a lot of work put in from Nathan to organise the evening, sending out invitations and finding entertainment, he has been determined not to give up and wants to make it the best event the school has had.

Nathan said: “I made a promise to the others here that I would organise this and I didn’t want to go back on this promise.

“It has been a crazy few weeks. I can’t believe that I have managed to get this far and I wanted to make all of the people at this school proud.

“It is going to be an amazing night. I also want to thank the teachers for helping me.

“Also I would like to say thank you to the Worcester Warriors for being so generous and so kind to me.”

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