The beloved senior class event, Night of the Stars, has returned for the 2022 graduating class. As explained by Lis Loeb, a chair member of Project Graduation, “the Class of 2020 attended Night of the Stars in its traditional form, but last year, due to COVID, the Class of 2021’s Night of the Stars was combined with the annual Fashion Show and called BernardsFest so it was slightly different.”
The annual tradition that has continued for at least twenty years includes dinner, DJ and a dance party. In previous years the event has been held at various venues, this year, it will be held at Basking Ridge Country Club on Saturday, January 18. The event is free of charge to all members of the senior class. Students were to have their permission slips in no later than January 15, which were found on the senior google classroom page.
Loeb adds that, “students are invited to dress up as their favorite “star” – could be a movie star, celebrity, sports figure or character.” Additionally, “there are prizes awarded for best costume.”
In previous years, students have dressed up as a variety of different, cartoon characters, sports stars, and celebrities. For instance, one group of the 2021 senior class attended the combined Night of the Stars and BernardsFest dressed as the characters of the popular cartoon, “Spongebob.” Many members of the 2020 senior class dressed up as their favorite NFL stars, as well as their favorite NBA players. Several members of the 2020 seniors dressed up as their favorite celebrities, and were red carpet ready.
Each Project Graduation event includes senior parents who volunteer as chairpeople. For Night of the Stars this year, Mrs. Walsh and Mrs. Kauffman have volunteered for the position. Loeb notes that two will “work with other parent volunteers to make the night a success.”
Along with Night of the Stars, Project Graduation offers seniors several other events and fundraisers to look forward to. Loeb explains that this includes a “Tricky Tray (which was this past November) and the Fashion Show (which is April 30) as well as lawn signs and balloon sales.” Loeb continued to explain that, “all of these fundraisers help [to] support fun events for the graduating class such as the Senior BBQ, Night of the Stars, Senior Breakfast, Senior Luncheon and Last Blast – [which is] a drug-and alcohol-free celebration on graduation night that gives our senior class one last chance to spend time together before they go their separate ways.” The senior class of 2022 is looking forward to Night of the Stars as just one of the ways to make their senior year as memorable as it can be.
