The fight continues for the Principal of Cobourg Collegiate Institute to reinstate the Prom Parade.
Media has not been able to reach Principal James Patenall since word first surfaced that for the first time in decades (other than the COVID years) there would be no prom parade for CCI graduates.
After a meeting on Monday, May 30, 2022, the prom committee attempted to come up with a solution.
CCI teacher Jocelyn Caister, who is on the Prom Committee issued a notice to graduates along with a map of how the prom will be organized at the Cobourg Community Centre on June 10.
The graduates and their guests will now walk the length of a soccer field to enter through an exit door to dance the night away.
Caister said the Town of Cobourg, Chief of Police, “have shared this map explaining the walking parade route for all prom attendees as well as where spectators can view the procession and park.”
Today’s Northumberland also learned that the students will not be announced as they traditionally are when they enter their prom.
Previous years, faculty members or the Town Crier have announced students as they entered – but not this year.
“Spectators will be lined up on the grass along both sides of the walkway between the “Prom Attendee Parking” and the edge of the parking lot to the main entrance on the east side of the CCC.”
The door the prom attendees will be entering is an emergency exit door at the north east side of the gymnasium.
Caister points out that traffic will be blocked in some areas, “to maintain the safety of all prom students.”
Parking for the parents and others attending will be, “in the lot beside the baseball fields as well as the north side of the CCC, but not at the front entrance to the CCC.”
“There will be Cobourg Police, Paragon Security and CCI staff assisting with the flow of traffic and the direction of students,” states Caister.
Nearly the entire group of graduates, if not all, have endorsed, promoted and pleaded with the principal to reinstate the prom parade – he won’t.
A group of people met with Today’s Northumberland at the CCC to discuss the issues and the frustration.
Kelly Watson has a daughter that will be graduating next year, but wants the tradition of the prom parades to continue.
When the prom parade was cancelled, most students and parents thought that it was due to COVID. But when they heard about the St. Mary Catholic Secondary School prom parade that happened over the weekend they began to question why CCI wasn’t having one.
“After a lot of us saw the St. Mary’s parade and how beautiful it was and how organized it was, it made a lot of us think, why can’t we have that?”
“These kids want it – they deserve it and after seeing what St. Mary’s put together, there is no reason why we shouldn’t have it too.”
Watson said she’s mad for a number of reasons with the cancellation of the prom parade.
“We’ve already lost two years to COVID, now we’re setting a precedent to say this isn’t important to these kids, to us family, friends and community members.”
“This is where it’s all going to end and that’s what makes me mad.”
Watson said CCI is a group of “creative, outgoing, community of students and this is their time to shine.”
Watson said asking the students to walk that far will obviously cause congestion.
“They could easily have a lovely parade – allow these kids to show off who they are. If your farmers, if you’re into cars, if you’re into trucks – you can show that off.”
The prom parade is about being unique and creative.
“I’ve talked to teachers, I’ve talked to community members, I’ve talked to parents, to kids – everybody is furious. Everyone wants this.”
Saying there is to many kids and its too much pressure doesn’t hold up Watson said.
When her daughter graduates, she’ll have no problem waiting for two hours or more to see her in the prom parade.
“My smile will be as big as hers. This is for me, this is for the grandparents, this is for the community members.”
Marnee De Jong is graduating from CCI this year and said the past few years with COVID have been extremely hard on everyone.
When she found out there was no parade, like many other graduates she was upset.
“It’s something you look forward too.”
“It sucked.”
“It was like they were taking a big part of our prom away. That they didn’t think we deserved it after all we’ve been through with COVID.”
“It doesn’t feel like we’re being celebrated.”
Marnee was in the St. Mary’s prom parade and said it was one of the best parts about prom.
Police had no issues with students sitting on tractors.
At a grad luncheon on Tuesday, graduates along with the principal and two Cobourg Police Officers spoke with the students.
Marnee said it looked like Patenall was clearly frustrated with some of the questions.
“Mr. Patenall did seem frustrated with students when they did cheer for a parade. He seemed very against it and very mad about it.”
Given the number of students attending the CCI prom is approximately 380, it would likely take two hours if there was a prom parade, but Marnee said no one would mind.
“I don’t think anybody would mind standing there and watching everybody.”
Rachel Lalonde graduated from CCI in 2019 before COVID hit.
Students in their vehicles lined up along D’Arcy Street and Lakeshore Drive before parading along King Street to the front of CCI where their names were called before entering the school for Prom.
Rachel said she rode in a Ford F-150 pickup truck with her boyfriend to the prom. It wasn’t the prettiest vehicle. It wasn’t the most expensive vehicle, but for Rachel – she couldn’t have been happier.
“I felt good. I felt like I was included in the school for one time. I felt like anything that happened throughout high school didn’t really matter at that moment – I was just happy.”
Added information
On Wednesday, June 1, 2022 Progressive Conservative Candidate David Piccini issued a tweet in support of reinstating the CCI Prom Parade
The text stated
“Let’s #BringBackThe Parade
After two difficult years, our youth, our community’s graduates deserve to be celebrated in the traditional way!
Spoke with Robert, whose daughter is one of the many students graduating this year from CCI in Cobourg. She and her classmates have achieved so much and have shown such extraordinary resilience!
They deserve a parade!
Also, Today’s Northumberland had requested an interview from the school board which they stated would be taking place on Wednesday. At 3:20 p.m. we were informed the interview would be taking place on Thursday.
Also, Kelly Watson said she had confirmed on Wednesday that CCI has sold 280 tickets to the prom, not 380 the principal has stated.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
