Not just another party

To combat the problems of underage drinking after the prom, parents at some area high schools have found an alternative to private parties that are both safe and fun for the students.

The Williamsville East Post Prom is held from midnight to 4 a.m. at the Amherst Pepsi Center and offers games, skating, dancing, food and a general carnival atmosphere, including door prizes for every student.

"We try to give away things that the kids really want," said Effie Meyer, a co-chair of the post-prom event, noting that last year's prizes included laptops for some lucky students.

"By the time 4 o'clock rolls around, they're usually too tired to go out and do anything else," she added, noting that some parents will host breakfasts for the students the next day.

The event costs around $20,000 and is paid for through the fundraising efforts of the post-prom committee, which throughout the year holds barbecues, ice cream socials and raffles to raise money for the event. Money is also donated by parents of East students.

"The local small businesses have been very generous," Meyer said. "We haven't been very lucky with the larger corporations because I think they see it as just another party to give to kids who don't need one."

But, according to Meyer, it's much more than that.

"Statistics show that prom night is one of the most dangerous nights for kids to be out on the road," she said. "We're providing a safe place that kids can come to after the prom, but we have to make it fun, too."

Meyer noted that the peer-pressure aspect of postprom celebrations is also no longer an issue with the PTSA-sponsored post-prom because of the turnout the event experiences.

"We have close to 78 percent of the senior class attend and 95 percent of everyone who went to the prom," she said. "If everyone is here, there's no pressure to go anywhere else."