Cyndi Loza

Washoe County School District officials allow each school to prepare safety plans for its annual prom.

So, while some students get fitted for gowns and tuxedos, buy corsages and schedule their limos, other students join school officials to take precautions ensuring a safe and sober night.

“I think kids tend to get wasted and drive (on prom night), and that’s just very dangerous and scary, and I don’t want to be involved in something like that,” Sage Ridge School senior Sarah Katz said.

Katz, 17, said she does not plan to drink or attend any post-prom parties after her school’s senior ball at Hidden Valley Country Club on May 3.

“We’ve never had any major problems at our dances,” said Ron Seckler, assistant principal at Damonte Ranch High School. “Occasionally, we’ll have someone come inebriated, but that’s handled immediately.”

Seckler said six school police officers and eight chaperones will be at Damonte’s prom on April 19 at the Circus Circus Reno. One of the officers will have a Breathalyzer to test any student that “acts bizarre,” he said.

Reed High School will have similar practices in place at the April 19 prom at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. The school will have six police officers with two available breathalyzers and about 20 chaperones. These practices are similar to previous events, principal Mary Vesco said.

“We had a wonderful junior prom at the Automobile Museum, and we look forward to the senior prom at the convention center in three weeks,” Vesco said.