(APRIL 25, 2025) – Local seniors celebrated this past weekend during the third annual Senior Prom event hosted in partnership with Cherokee County Senior Services, Stand Up for Seniors, and the Cherokee and Sequoyah High School Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Clubs.
“It was heartwarming to witness the genuine joy and camaraderie among the seniors and students alike,” said Cherokee Senior Services Activities Coordinator Sydney Caughman. “The dedicated HOSA club members and their teachers went above and beyond to ensure our seniors felt truly cherished and celebrated.”
This free event was held in the gymnasium of Cherokee High School on Saturday afternoon. The festivities drew a crowd of roughly 40-plus seniors and numerous volunteers.
The affair kicked off with music being played by the Cherokee High School jazz band as seniors arrived at the venue. Attendees enjoyed an afternoon filled with lunch provided by Jersey Mike’s, trivia, dancing to music provided by DJ Dax Martin, and raffle prizes generously donated by local businesses.
In a highlight of the event, a king and queen were crowned to reign over the festivities. Nadine Artlett and Steve Mazeika, chosen at random from names submitted by attendees, were named the Senior Prom king and queen.
“In 2019, one of my healthcare students worked with Sydney at Senior Services and wanted to create an event to celebrate seniors in our community,” said Dianne Argonis-Basto, Healthcare Science Teacher and HOSA Co-Advisor at Cherokee High School. “We landed on music as a great connector, and the first ‘Senior Senior Prom’ was born. It started small, but students quickly saw how much they had in common with the seniors. Now, the event has grown, and it’s completely student driven. It’s a wonderful learning experience for our students and a meaningful celebration for our seniors. I’m so proud of them.”
The collaborative effort of over 60 HOSA club members and their teachers encompassed the planning, set-up, assistance to the seniors throughout the event, and clean-up once the prom concluded.
