Hospital School Prom Provides Adventures In Wonderland
Can a hospital cafeteria be a world of wonder? Get the answer Friday night.
For Release: May 12, 2010
PALO ALTO, Calif.Ģżā 1865 meets 2010. When Lewis Carrollās fantasy novel āAliceās Adventures in Wonderlandā was published in the 19th century, it was an immediate, worldwide hit. But could anyone have imagined that Aliceās adventures would be celebrated at a hospital school prom in 2010? Donāt think so. But, speaking to the timeless imagination of the Cheshire Cat, Bill the Lizard, and a Rabbit Hole to end all rabbit holes, students from theĢżhospital schoolĢżand teachers from the Palo Alto Unified School District are transforming Aliceās adventures into an end-of-year prom and party that author Carroll might call āan adaptation to end all adaptations.āĢż (OK, weāre taking some license here.)
Itās certainly the biggest night of the year at Packard Childrenās.Ģż āAn Evening in Wonderlandā is the sixth annual end-of-school prom for students and family members attending the hospital school. āLike all proms, this oneās a mix of music, photos, casino and carnival, plus a raffle with very cool prizes,ā said Kathy Ho, hospital school teacher and prom advisor. āHowever, we donāt limit it just to high schoolers, and thereās a reason. For the more seriously ill, this may be their only chance for a prom.ā Just like a normal prom, no parents are allowed, and besides, who wants to see their parent dressed as a caterpillar? āOur philosophy is that this night is just for the kids,ā said Ho, who refused to reveal what her Adventures in Wonderland costume might be. āThere will be lots of surprises, not the least of which is that our cafeteria will be transformed into a fantasy no one but Alice would recognize.ā
Certainly no other prom can match this one, and the guest list is proof. āSome of the kids from out of town, they even plan their ongoing appointments to coincide with the prom,ā said Thayer Gershon, yet another teacher holding back info on exactly which Wonderland character she will be. āWe expect over 100 kids, with some coming from as far away as Hawaii.ā āItās a wonderful escape - a fun and festive few hours where kids can forget about everything but being a kid,ā said Ho, who wondered aloud if a Mad Hatter costume technically qualified as a tux. āWeāre creating prom memories everyone will always remember, and we just love this night.ā
Event Info, Media Invited: Hospital prom, 5/14/10, 6 - 9 p.m. 725 Welch Rd., Palo Alto.
Twitter: Prom photo updates, use hashtag #packardprom.
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About Ā鶹¹ū¶³“«Ć½ Children's Health
Ā鶹¹ū¶³“«Ć½ Childrenās Health, withĢżLucile Packard Childrenās Hospital StanfordĢżat its center, is the Bay Areaās largest health care system exclusively dedicated to children and expectant mothers. Our network of care includes more than 65ĢżlocationsĢżacross Northern California and more than 85 locations in the U.S. Western region.ĢżAlong with Stanford Health Care and the Stanford School of Medicine, we are part ofĢż, an ecosystem harnessing the potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education, and clinical care to improve health outcomes around the world. We are a nonprofit organization committed to supporting the community through meaningful outreach programs and services and providing necessary medical care to families, regardless of their ability to pay. Discover more atĢżstanfordchildrens.org.
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