Parents jump in to make 8th grade year-end dance happen

Santa Rosa Academy eighth-grade parents have been distraught that their children lost a year and a half of in-person schooling because of the COVID-19 pandemic. So many social functions, as well, have been canceled. To celebrate these eighth graders, Canyon Lake mom Jamie Pulver decided to host the traditional year-end dance for these students.

“A few moms wanted to make sure that our kids were celebrated,” Jamie, parent of an eighth-grader, said. “I wanted to give the students the big dance that they would have gotten from the school, but were unable to because of COVID-19. We decided to go ahead and make it happen.”

Santa Rosa Academy eighth graders gather around tables for dinner inside the event hall where their end-of-year dance would take place later in the evening. The school had canceled the dance because of COVID-19 restrictions, so parents stepped in and put on the dance. Photo by Jamie Pulver

Jamie booked the dance at the event hall at Monteleone Meadows in Murrieta. Students paid $15 for tickets to the dance.

“The evening went so well,” Jamie said. “The kids danced and laughed all night. They had a night they won’t forget. It was great to see them all together again.”

The kids were fed dinner, played games and, with the help of a DJ, danced the night away.

“Jamie did a wonderful job coordinating the event,” Kellie Welty, another Canyon Lake mom, said. “She hosted such a beautiful event, and she made it so special for the kids. We parents appreciate all she did.”