Advertisement The high school gym looked great. The kids did wonders with lighting and fabric, plus they had a really nice bridge set up for prom-goers to walk across.
I didn’t stay long at the prom, but judging from the music, it might as well have been my prom. The three songs I heard before the court was announced were Led Zeppelin's “Stairway to Heaven,” the “Footloose” theme by Kenny Loggins and “Mickey” by Toni Basil. Any of them could have been popular at my junior prom way back in 1985, although I think listening to Led Zeppelin is a little hard-core for prom. Still, I enjoyed Jimmy Page’s guitar solo.
As with most proms held in small cities and towns, there is about one adult standing in the wings watching for every two students attending. I found this practice totally foreign when I first moved from the big city out to western Wisconsin decades ago. If our parents would have come to our prom in Janesville, we all probably would have run for the exits. But, just like in Fennimore years ago, and now Viroqua, having moms and dads watching the grand march is expected.
From what I saw, the prom looked really nice and all of the kids were dressed up. The junior class thanked Bernie Hornby for helping them organize everything.
I took my photos of the court, straining not to get crushed by the teaming horde of teenagers. I got pictures of the king and queen dancing and the miniature king and queen dancing. Then, I left prom.
It’s good to be young. My junior year in high school was one of the best of my life. My senior year was even better. Prom, for juniors, is the beginning of hopefully a long, wonderful end to high school. You don’t have to be a superstar, princess or genius to enjoy your senior year. You just have to want to enjoy it.
Sadly enough, some students are already working so much at jobs outside of school during their junior or senior years, that it really limits the time they have left as a “kid.” I worked at a pizza parlor my senior year, but only during the last few months of school, so it wasn’t like I was busy the entire time. It did, however, increase the slope of my senior slide.
I don’t know how anybody who has gone through high school can’t think of that time, between junior prom and graduation, without a bittersweet feeling. I have a lot of good memories. When my high school friends and I get together, boy do we laugh and talk smart about our legends of youth.
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It seems like every time I get around folks involved in the Vernon County Fair I hear a good story.
Such was the case on Saturday morning as I attended the groundbreaking for the new commercial building at the fairgrounds. Rep. Lee Nerison (R-Westby) was there and was talking about his memories of the fair. His family has a long, storied involvement at the fair and he has had an animal shown at the fair for the past 42 years.
Lee’s wife, Laura, gave birth to their oldest daughter, Thea, on the Friday of the Vernon County Fair.
As Thea grew up, Lee said, her grandfather, Ervin, told her that the fair was held every year just for her birthday.
“So, that’s what she grew up believing all the way up until she was 10 years old, that the fair was just for her,” Lee said. “And we’d be walking around the fairgrounds and people would be waving to her, telling her happy birthday, and even singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. So, that was pretty amazing for a little girl.”
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For those who didn’t know it, the Green Bay Packers did participate in last week’s National Football League draft.
I caught bits and pieces of the draft and was pretty much disappointed with the players the Packers drafted. That’s pretty much how I am most years. However, I’m under the impression that “Trade Down Ted” Thompson believes the Packers are Super Bowl contenders again this season. And realistically they should be if Aaron Rodgers or any of their quarterbacks can play an error-free, even game.
Other teams are going to try to punch the Packers square in the face this year. The question is, how will they respond?
You can email Matt Johnson at matt.johnson@lee.net
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