WILLIAMSBURG — Some Williamsburg High School students danced at two proms last month — one at the high school and another at a local senior living community.

Deanne Mumm takes photo of Dawson Zollinger and LaVonne Corral during the Highland Ridge prom in Williamsburg April 21. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

“Senior” prom takes on new meaning when Williamsburg High School’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America don their finery the Sunday after the high school dance and move decorations to Highland Ridge to share the annual high school ritual with residents.

The Williamsburg High School jazz band provides music for Highland Ridge's prom under the direction of Leah Grant. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

“This is our most looked-forward-to event,” said FCCLA adviser Krista Casterline. Live music, refreshments and crowning of the king and queen are part of the Highland Ridge prom.

Casterline remembers taking prom to senior citizens in Colfax when she was in high school. “I told my FCCLA all about it,” she said.

Lillyona Abernathy delivers fruit cups during prom at Highland Ridge in Williamsburg. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

The Williamsburg students have hosted the prom for seniors for several years, minus a couple during the COVID era.

“Everyone looks forward to this day,” Brooke Klein, life enrichment director at Highland Ridge, said. The residents talk about outfits ahead of time and visit thrift shops which may or may provide attire or accessories.

Highland Ridge residents Robin Rettig, Wilma Rettig and Margaret Phelps visit before prom begins. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

Many residents have grandchildren or great-grandchildren in Williamsburg schools. They are very integrated with students and the community, Klein said.

Klein estimated that about 50 residents attend the prom. “It’s a filled room,” she said.

EnHarmony asks the question, "Am I a man or a muppet?" during a performance at Highland Ridge. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

FCCLA spends a lot of time at Highland Ridge during the school year. Its liaison, Maelyn Parsons, organizes monthly outings during which FCCLA students play board games, visit and perform small jobs for the residents.

Wearing their gowns from Saturday night's prom, Sirens performs for residents at Highland Ridge senior living community. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

Sometimes Highland Ridge invites students to its own events, such as karaoke and hot chocolate, Parsons said.

“They love connecting with the people in the community,” said Parsons. “And we love it too.”

The “senior” prom is a fun, relaxed day, Parsons said. The residents listen to music, dance and visit.

Lily Douglas prepares fruit cups for the prom at Highland Ridge senior living facility. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

“We try to have our members go up to the residents and dance [with them],” Parsons said.

Parsons’ great-grandmother is a resident at Highland Ridge, so it’s important to Parsons to connect with the residents, she said. Parsons is working on a nursing assistant certification so she can work there.

Wilma Retting and her daughter Robin arrived at prom in colorful floor-length dresses. They’ve been residents of Highland Ridge a little over a year.

Residents at Highland Ridge enjoy music during a prom organized by Williamsburg High School students. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

“My husband and I were big ballroom dancers,” Wilma said.

The mother and daughter enjoy watching the students at prom every year. “And the music is fabulous,” said Wilma.

Dawson Zollinger had his photo taken with LaVonne Corral behind a balloon arch. The student and senior citizen are not related; they describe themselves as good friends.

Jaisel Bott is excited to play her saxophone for residents of Highland Ridge in Williamsburg. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

“We go to the same church,” said Zollinger. “I’ve known her daughter for my whole life.”

The balloon feature was created by What’s Poppin’ Iowa, a Williamsburg business run by Deanne Mumm and Amanda Kruse. They’ve been in business about a year and have provided balloon arches for events in Kalona, Tiffin, Amana and Marengo as well as in Williamsburg.

“It just puts a little pop in everybody’s party,” said Mumm.

Glenn Mulligan, the 2016 Highland Ridge Prom King, receives a rose from Williamsburg students who hosted the dance. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

Glenn Mulligan wheeled his way around the tables to a choice spot near the windows. He was the Highland Ridge Prom King in 2016 and has a newspaper article to prove it.

“I just love kids,” said Mulligan. “I just enjoy them.”

That’s a good thing. Mulligan has four children, 12 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren, he said. “We’ve got two sets of twins in that group.”

The Williamsburg High School's jazz band provides dance music for prom-goers at Highland Ridge senior living community. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

This year’s Highland Ridge prom was the first for Margaret Phelps who arrived at Highland Ridge in October She’s still trying to learn who everyone is, she said.

Phelps relocated to be close to family that lives in this part of Iowa. “I came down from Waverly,” Phelps said. She often attended music programs at Wartburg College.

Highland Ridge residents arrive for prom hosted by Williamsburg High School students. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

“I miss music,” Phelps said.

The Williamsburg students solved that problem.

Sirens, a girls choir, performed an arrangement of “Joyful, Joyful” from the movie “Sister Act II” and “She Used to be Mine,” from the musical “Waitress.”

Highland Ridge residents Wilma and Robin Rettig dance with Williamsburg High School students during a prom at the senior living facility April 21. (Winona Whitaker/Hometown Current)

Then the guys took center stage. EnHarmony opened with an a cappella version of “Hooked on a Feeling” complete with Blue Swede’s ooga chakas and followed that with The Temptations’ “My Girl.”

The singers and their director, Zach Ring, donned sock puppets for “Man or Muppet” from 2011’s “The Muppets.”