ABQjournal: Del Norte Wins ‘Perfect Prom’

Del Norte students thought they were attending a regular St. Patrick’s Day assembly Thursday but were surprised when representatives from the Air Force gave them $20,000 to put on the “Perfect Prom.”

Del Norte junior Erin Whitaker’s entry was randomly chosen out of 80,000 for the Air Force’s annual “Perfect Prom Sweepstakes.”

“She was just randomly picked,” said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Dominic Bartholomeo, who presented the check.

The contest aims to get high school students around the country to think about participating in alcohol-free proms. It is sponsored by the Air Force and StudentAware, a group that promotes safe proms. …

The entire grand prize package totaled more than $70,000, Bartholomeo said.

“I’m very proud of our school,” said Del Norte principal Rebecca Almeter. “We found out about (the award) two weeks ago, but we wanted to surprise the students.”

Whitaker said she entered the sweepstakes because she wants her school to have a safe and sober prom. But will other students keep to that goal?

“We’ve got some OK ones. We’ve got some crazy ones, too,” said a smiling Whitaker. “But we’ll be OK.”

$70,000 should buy a pretty decent prom — or a year’s wages for 70 workers in prom dress factories overseas. It’ll really go far if you’re not buying booze or drugs (bring your own).

Let me ask all my Republican readers something. Jim, what do you think of THE AIR FORCE doing this?

Seriously, everybody, as noble a purpose as this is, WHY is the Air Force involved. Is this recruitment in disguise? Are the only hand-outs acceptable to the Radical Right going to and coming from the military? mjh