​​Boys Town High School students in the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Class put on their prom gowns and suits to dance the night away at a second prom. This wasn’t any ordinary prom, however, this was the 10th annual Senior Citizens Prom.

Held on Wednesday, April 20, 2016, at Remington Heights in Omaha, students received a crash course in dancing to the songs of the 1940S era of swing from their teacher, Stevie Gass, before attending the prom. While the band was running a little late, that didn’t stop the attendees from getting the party started. Former Boys Town Vice Mayor, Tessa Miller, treated the crowd to an acapella rendition of Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On”.  Once the band arrived, the residents at Remington Heights and Boys Town students danced for three hours straight and had a great time getting to know each other.

“The students had a fantastic time,” said Gass. “I observed them demonstrating compassion, kindness, and absolute respect for senior citizens. The students were amazed at the enthusiasm and high energy level the senior citizens possessed.”

The event was made even more memorable thanks to a very special donor, Diane Van Trees. Mrs. Van Trees flew from Florida to Omaha to attend the event. She donated beautiful corsages to all of the residents at Remington Heights and to all of the female Boys Town students.

Mrs. Van Trees has been a supporter of Boys Town for more than five years and has provided scholarships at graduation to Boys Town students in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program. She and her husband became involved with Boys Town after touring the Village while in Omaha to watch their grandson compete in the NCAA wrestling finals. She loves to see kids succeed.  

“I am so proud of my Boys Town kids and how they represented our school,” said Gass. “We all had a great night.”

Thanks again to Mrs. Van Trees and to Remington Heights for making this event a memorable experience for Boys Town students and their dance partners.