By Rachel Block
"They will be friends for life and go to each other's weddings."
Christine White came to her friend Michael Dillon's home at W. Carl Avenue last Thursday, one of 20 Baldwin High School prom-goers who gathered at the Dillons. There, they stood on the lawn to pose for photos, chatted about the big night and reminisced over their years at Baldwin High.
The beaming sun and cool breeze was an ideal setting on June 21 for this particular group of Baldwin High prom-goers, as they gathered for their big day.
Baldwin High School held its prom on June 21 at The Sands in Atlantic Beach, and with more than 300 seniors, there was bound to be a big turnout. For these Baldwin seniors - 10 girls and their dates, all close friends - it was a chance to celebrate together before they each head off to college. And though some are attending the same universities, they will no longer see each other everyday like they did at Baldwin High, they said.
"They had a fantastic year together, and it is a lovely group of kids and parents," said Debbie Desalvio, mother of Loral. "Loral is my last one and I am sad to see her ago - time definitely went fast."
The traditional stretch limo has been replaced with a gleaming black Hummer limousine, and this particular group of Baldwin seniors headed to their prom in style. And though they danced the night away at The Sands, the after-party was at a house in the Hamptons for two nights.
Cars were lined up and down the street, with a spot reserved for the limo right in front, as blue and gold star balloons - the school's colors - undulated in the front of the Dillon's house.
"They all grew up near each other and are all connected in different ways," said Michael Shatzkin, father of senior Carly.
Some of the girls played basketball together in their younger years, and later on, many of them were on the high school field hockey team together. Coach Michael Hoover attended for his daughter Alyssa, but his former players also appreciated his presence. The team members took a special picture together with their coach.
"Field hockey is my best memory from high school," said Nicole Spataro. "This year we made it to the County's."
The morning of prom was a very busy day for the girls, who had to make sure their dresses had no creases, their hair had no frizz and their make-up had no runs. "I woke up at 8:30 this morning and ran errands," said Carly Shatzkin. "Then I got my hair done at 2 at Diana's Place in Valley Stream, and my make-up done at 4."
However, the day of prom was not the only time that it was hectic. For the past few months, the girls said they have been busy working to make sure everything would turn out just the way they wanted it to. They searched for weeks to find the "perfect" dress, and finally found it from a range of boutiques and stores, including The Strapless Dress in Lynbrook and Jessica McClintock at Roosevelt Field.
As for pre-prom, transportation, and after-prom, White said the girls planned it well. "They split up their tasks, there was one person in charge of the food, one person in charge of the limo, and so on," she said.
Shatzkin said that she has been looking forward to prom for a while and can't believe that after all the crazy planning the day has finally come.
"Our favorite memory from senior year is when our friend got suspended for starting a dodgeball tournament in the commons," said a group of boys with a laugh. "After that we all wore t-shirts with his name on it."
"Lacrosse was also a big part of our lives," added Billy Rebman on a more serious note, with teammate and fellow prom-goer Donald Clemens nearby. Parents, relatives and friends of the students all gathered around and took plenty of pictures to document the milestone night. Their Hummer showed up at around 6:15 p.m. and the party moved to the front yard, where the pictures and flashes continued in front of the limo. There were rules, of course. The limo driver instructed the kids about no drinking, and he made sure to check each girl's bag for alcohol. After, the teens all double-checked to make sure they had their tickets and school IDs for the prom, and then entered the limo as the cameras continued to flash.
The parents waved as the limousine drove away, with many saying to each other that the years had simply gone too fast.
Comments about this story? Baldwineditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 207.
Photos by Jeff Wilson
