Roll out the red carpet

FAIRFIELD – Eighty-five students participated in a midsummer prom held Tuesday at Quality Inn & Suites in Fairfield.

The unusual timing of the prom was necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the school district to first delay the prom from April to June and then cancel it altogether.

Summer Lisk, mother of Fairfield High School junior Autumn Lisk, picked up the torch and organized a prom and after-prom party with a hypnotist at Quality Inn & Suites, formerly the Fairfield Best Western.

Lisk said the event was 'beautiful” and 'could not have been more perfect.” She said the seniors were brought to tears in gratitude that they were able to hold a prom after thinking it was a lost cause.

This year's prom was a throw-back to earlier proms that included a parade and a red-carpet entrance to the dance hall. For the past couple of years, the district has gotten away from holding an outdoor parade in favor of a promenade in the high school gymnasium.

Lisk said the boys liked the opportunity to show off their trucks and fancy cars in the parade, and the girls savored the chance to wear the prom dresses they bought before the pandemic forced the cancellation.

Lisk said she's aware of criticism of holding a prom now, but she feels the prom was no more crowded than a typical baseball or softball game, or graduation party, both of which have been going on this summer.

'Nobody was forced to do anything,” Lisk said. 'We wanted to hold an event for the students who wished to come. This is something that only happens once in their life. We wanted to do this for the kids.”

Lisk was in charge of the after-prom party when the school year began. She and other junior parents had raised enough money and had garnered enough prizes from local businesses to give every Fairfield junior and senior a prize at this year's prom.

The only downside to holding the prom on this particular date, July 21, was that it coincided with the Fairfield softball team's regional final across town at Fairfield Middle School. The Trojans won their game to advance to the state tournament.

Lisk said it was nice to see a couple of the players, including Shaylin Drish and Destiny Gridley, come to the prom after their game.