Amity High prepares for 100th May Day celebration
The free event is open to the public in the school’s old gym. It will be the final high school activity in the gym, which will become part of the middle school when construction Amity High’s new gym is complete.
In the mid-20th century, the Amity High celebration of spring was held on a Friday in May; since the 1980s, they’ve been on the first Friday of the month, closest to May 1.
The traditional maypole dance, in which freshmen girls wind colorful ribbons around the pole, has been part of the celebration since the beginning, said Kimmy Romey, a 1989 AHS graduate who teaches language arts at the school and has coordinated May Day for 22 years.
So has the senior waltz, in which 12th grade girls and boys take part, she said.
Over the years, other activities have been added. This year’s celebration will feature the choir and band, the dance team, boys dance team and solo and ensemble dancers, a solo guitar performance, vocal duets and solos.
The entire student body is involved, Romey said. Those who aren’t performing make decorations, run lights and perform other behind-the-scenes tasks.
Amity High also elects a May Court to reign over the celebration. This year’s court includes May Queen Mya Haarsma and her escort, Thomas Dick, both seniors; Crown Princess Adrianna Kieva and her escort, Diego Campuzano, also seniors; Senior Princess Caden Christensen escorted by Grady Betts; Junior Princess Gaida Highsmith escorted by Grayson Simmons; Sophomore Princess Ruby Jacklich escorted by Ayden Ortiz Garcia; and Freshman Princess Isabella Calkins escorted by Joel Sims.
For more information, call Amity High at 503-835-2181.
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