Alternative prom helps promote 'integrity'

At the alternate prom, Kelsey Siebrandt, from left, Alli Been and Makayla Packard wear formal dresses that don't show too much skin. (Courtesy photo)

McCOOK, Nebraska -- For 16-year-old Mikayla Packard of McCook, her integrity is too costly to compromise.

After attending homecoming this year and being dismayed with the suggestive dancing and skimpy outfits, Mikayla recognized something about herself.

"I hadn't realized how my standards differ from other students," the high school junior said. She found the atmosphere at the dance uncomfortable. Mikayla remembers thinking to herself about high school dances, "If this is what it's about, I'm done."

Makayla Packard, above, works on the city skyline backdrop for the alternative prom she and friends attended March 10. (Lorri Sughroue/McCook Daily Gazette)

But facing the rest of high school without attending any dances at all seemed a little drastic, especially since it would mean missing the most important dance of the year, prom.

So she decided to take matters into her own hands and host an "alternate prom."

"I did it mostly for me. But I thought they maybe other kids might like it, too," she said.

Her church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints

(Mormons), was hosting a "standards" event, where youth from across the state learn about the importance of morals, so Mikayla linked her dance with that.

That way, plenty of kids would attend, "but I planned it for anyone who feels they are not getting what they want out of a dance," she said.

Her alternate prom took place in Grand Island March 10 and she arranged everything, with plenty of help from her friends and her mother, Rami.

Kids and parents were excited about the alternate prom, Rami said, "because they knew it would be clean and safe."

The prom had everything regular proms have, sans the suggestive music, sexy dancing or revealing clothing: formal dresses for the girls, with no bare shoulders, suits for the guys, festive decorations, food, a DJ spinning music.

Mikayla's friends, Alli Been and Kelsey Siebrandt of McCook, also attended the alternate prom. Siebrandt has never been to a prom, but Been said that the atmosphere at school dances can sometimes get embarrassing and uncomfortable.

"The dancing can get kinda gross and some of the music they play doesn't really allow for clean dancing, said Been, who will be attending a school prom later in the month.

School proms also seem to focus on couples, she said, which can alienate those without dates. In contrast, the alternate prom encourages singles not to bring a date, so "it makes it easier to go alone and have more fun with people you don't know."

Proms nowadays can sometimes get lost in the superficial clutter of tanning (for both girls and guys), expensive, slinky dresses, hair and nail appointments, limo rides and extravagant dinners, so an alternative seemed refreshingly less complicated and stressful to these girls.

"I can have fun just being with my friends and being around people who respect the same things I do," she said. "Integrity is important to me."

And priceless, as well.