As local students around southeast Iowa get ready to make memories at area proms this spring, safety should be a part of everyone’s plans. Washington Police Chief Jim Lester spoke with KCII News about things to keep in mind to help make the night a success, “Prom is a night to celebrate. Good decisions last longer than one night. We encourage everyone to have a safe plan for the evening. We always talk about parents and kids having that communication and planning for a big event like prom is one of those times. Oftentimes with prom, people think of underage drinking and things like that. This is just a reminder that it’s illegal and it’s also dangerous. We also talk about seat belts, buckling up, being safe, and distracted driving. Make sure the car that you’re in the driver is paying attention, not driving distracted. We’ll have officers out, they’ll be keeping an eye out for those types of things. We’re not out to ruin anyone’s night, we’re here to try to prevent tragedies from happening. Most importantly, be smart, be safe, remember that your choices and actions have consequences. We don’t want one poor choice to define anyone’s future.”
Washington, Highland, Columbus and Winfield-Mt. Union all celebrate their prom this weekend. Mid-Prairie will host theirs April 19th, Keota April 26th, Lone Tree and Sigourney on May 3rd and Hillcrest Academy will have their banquet May 10th.