All Night (Secret) Party

The All Night Party (ANP) is an event every Scituate High senior looks forward to following the formal high school commencement ceremony. After graduation, senior students tuck away their caps and gowns and head out for the whole night! This special occasion marks the final time they will all be together as the Class of 2018.

Traditionally, the All Night Party preparations are kept top secret; seniors do not know any details regarding the planned event, especially the theme! However, the ANP Committee works tirelessly to make the surprises well worth the wait. Getting parents to help out with decorating and planning has been very difficult, so the Committee has used connections with local businesses to make ends meet. Katherine Brown, mother of senior Peyton Brown, co-owns Recolo-Paint, a paint exchange company in Hanover, where off-hour decorating occurs with the free supply of her paint.

The decorations to make this year’s theme come alive were donated by the ANP Committee members. A new fundraiser this year involves The Chef’s Table. They will donate 5% of the total bill of graduation parties that are booked in advance by April 30th. Percentages back from Riva’s is a possibility as well. However, the bulk of the money comes from donations — everyone wants the seniors to have a great night.

Each student’s ticket into the fun is $75.00 and “scholarships” will be given to those students who need financial assistance. Upon entrance, each student’s name goes into a drawing to be pulled at 4 a.m. If students leave before 4 a.m., their name will not be included in the raffle.

The ANP Committee organizing this special event has every detail of the night panned hour by hour, down to the minute — this way, students don’t even have time to think about sleeping! The ANP Committee is concentrating more on the WOW factor, rather than the small details, since this year’s committee does not have anyone with planning experience from years past. 

The biggest concern for the party is “man power” and money. Organizers solicit help from Scituate parents. Whether it be setting up the events or selling tickets, there is a job for everyone. Parents who can’t find time to help are urged to make donations for scholarships and prizes, such as gift cards or money. Maura Dawley is the event treasurer. Most of the money used from the budget was for new decorations for this year’s theme.

The All Night Party is a fun event for seniors to attend after graduation; however, it is also a way to keep students safe. With graduating seniors occupied from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., parents know their children are in good hands while they enjoy celebrating with their classmates. As committee member Colleen Bonner accurately summed up, it is the “last night that they are together in the same room.” Each student has the rest of the summer to go out with their friends, but the ANP is the last night to enjoy their time together as Scituate High School students.