The ocean waves will overflow the Watertown Middle School cafeteria as the eighth-graders eagerly await to enter.

“We’ve been waiting for this since we walked into this school and we’ll be talking about it until we walk out!” says eighth-grader Christina Mazzeo.

With an “Under Water” theme, voted upon by all eighth-grade students, the semi-formal has finally arrived. With the girls in dresses and boys in ties, this is no usual dance.

“It makes me tear up,” says Ms. Sam Morris, an eighth-grade humanities teacher. “You all look so grown up and wonderful, and I realize you have outgrown WMS and are ready to move on.”

Ms. Kathryn Smeglin, the WMS art teacher, has made decorations and will be designing the cafeteria for Friday’s event.

“Tons of handwork and effort goes into this dance, it’s the final farewell for all the students,” says class president Erik Antonellis.

With food catered from The Chateau, kids can eat salad, bread, toasted raviolis, and pasta with meatballs. Mr. Tom Johnson, a WMS gym teacher, will be the DJ for the night. He will be playing songs of a wide variety, from “Sweet Caroline” to Eminem, so there won’t be a minute where someone’s not dancing!

“I think every eighth-grade party is unique,” says Ms. Morris. “It will still have some old concepts, like the food, and girls in bare feet because their high heels hurt, and boys who look like actual young gentlemen, but, of course, there will always be a big bunch of teachers who can’t decide if they are happy or sad, as they celebrate your accomplishments and mourn the loss of a wonderful class.”

–June 17, 2010–