Pride Prom rocks for Anchorage and Mat-Su students

Over 100 youth attended the successful Pride Prom on Friday night at the end of Day of Silence, coming from all over Anchorage and even from the Mat-Su, and KTVA interviewed two adult supporters on the Friday News at 10. Julia, one of the student organizers, reports on the Prom:

"The bass vibrated the walls and strobe lights flashed on the dance floor. This was the scene that greeted LGBT youth and their allies on April 16th as they arrived at the Kincaid Chalet for Pride Prom 2010.

The youth planned and set up the event with help from supportive adults and their effort paid off. The dance was a huge success and everyone had a great time dancing to popular music hits, many by request to the live DJ.

The theme that was chosen was 'gender bender' and quite a few of the youth dressed up in clothes usually worn by the opposite gender. At one point in the night there was voting for a royal pride court based on how loud of a cheer the people nominated received. Two young men in drag were voted as the pride queens and they both received gift certificates.

The dance went off as planned and many youth are already interested in helping out in planning next year's prom."

KTVA Channel 11 aired a short piece on Pride Prom and interviewed two adult supporters - Alex Barros of Four A's and Anne Marie-Moylan of Identity - during the News at 10 program on April 16. The video is not posted on line.

Students all over Alaska participated in Day of Silence during school on Friday, and some came to Pride Prom from as far as the Mat-Su Valley. Here is a description of the day and evening by a high school student in the Mat-Su:

"So... Day of Silence.

Per. 1: Mr. --- took off points for me not speaking even though he didn't even call on me. He gave Erica some BS about politics not belonging in the classroom. I should've ductaped my rainbow flag to my desk.

Per. 2: No problems.

Per. 3: Random guys asked me if I was a lesbian. Now that they know, hopefully they'll stop hitting on me. They were really starting to get on my nerves.

Per. 4: I had a whiteboard conversation with a friend about what happened in 1st period.

Lunch: I sat next to my girlfriend and ate lunch quietly like I usually do. All of the DoS kids ate lunch in our adviser's room.

Per. 5: The sub caught me saying sorry and said that I should just give up and take off my DoS tee (which was over my other shirt). I flipped him off in french when he wasn't looking. I ate a cutie pie (turnover) that my girlfriend gave me and then had a spaz attack because of all the sugar.

Per. 6: No problems.

Now, on to Pride Prom...

My parents rented an impala and my mom put flowers in my hair and made a matching boutonniere for my girlfriend. I made french onion soup for dinner.

Pride Prom itself was spectacular. There was a strobe light, glow sticks, black lights, balloons, free pictures, great music, and more rainbows than I thought existed. In the car ride home I fell asleep on my girlfriend's shoulder. Bliss. Some moments I wish could last forever..."

That moment makes all the work worthwhile! Congratulations to the Gay-Straight Alliance students and the Pride Prom organizers for another successful Day of Silence/Night of Noise in south-central Alaska.