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Coronavirus might crash prom season this year

With so many unknows, school departments throughout Maine say it is too soon to determine if proms should be postponed or canceled.

MAINE, Maine — For high school seniors in the class of 2020, COVID-19 is having a big impact. Many students are uncertain if their graduation ceremony or prom are going to happen.

School departments throughout Maine say it is too soon to determine if proms should be postponed or canceled.

Henry's Bridal is one of the many retailers that has been selling prom dresses for months.

Maddie Nida from Ellsworth High School is still hopeful for the big night and to be able to wear the perfect dress she picked out.

"I think our community is trying to do the best they can to make everything happen, so I hope that things will still happen like our prom and graduation and we still have class night and all of those things... and I hope that we get to experience that like all the other grades, but everything is up in the air right now," said Madelyn Nida, a 12th grader from Ellsworth High School.

With everything planned out for the big night in May, Maddie says she's trying to stay positive that the school won't cancel their big night, especially because it will be the last time students will celebrate together before they part ways to college or university.

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"Even if it got pushed back that would be better than it getting canceled," said Nida.

Henry's Bridal Boutique in Bangor's co-owner Molly Henry-Lincoln tells NEWS CENTER Maine some girls began shopping for dresses as early as November of last year.

"You know from your freshman year...you are going to be a senior some year..and you are going to need this perfect dress so the girls that are looking for their senior prom are going to start looking early," said Henry-Lincoln.

Retailers and parents agree that prom night should happen when COVID-19 dwindles down and it is safe to go out, even if that is later in the year.

"Those are moments that we all look forward to, and I just think canceling is impactful and I think we just need to be strategic," said Kelly Casey, the mother of Madelyn Nida.

"To put on like a community prom, so when it's safe, we would be able to put something together so the kids that maybe they're schools weren't able to or families weren't able to put something together...they can come and have a prom," said Henry-Lincoln.

Maddie, and many other high schoolers, would like their school leaders to hear this: "It's my last dance that I will get to go to with all my friends, cause a lot of us are all going our separate."

There is a possibility Bangor retailers, including Henry's Bridal Boutique, say many will gather and will try to plan a community prom for all the areas high schoolers hoping to have their special last dance, of course, once it is safe to do so.

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At NEWS CENTER Maine, we're focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the illness. To see our full coverage, visit our coronavirus section, here: /coronavirus

NEWS CENTER Maine Coronavirus Coverage

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