For prom, think pretty not pricey

Prom fashion is all about choice this year, whether it is strapless, halter or one-shoulder style, long, short or in-between, black, white or bright. But for many girls this prom season, the big question is not about style. It's about cost. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)

By Jean Patteson
The Orlando Sentinel
(MCT)

Prom fashion is all about choice this year.

Strapless, halter or one-shoulder style? Long, short or in-between? Black, white or bright? Solid color or jazzy print? Plain or embellished with sequins, crystals, rhinestones?

And that's just the dress.

Shoes: heels or flats? Accessories: handbag or clutch? Necklace, bangles, earrings — or all three?

But for many girls this prom season, the big question is not about style. It's about cost.

In many households, budgets are tighter than they've been in years. There is no money for splurging on high-priced prom outfits. But that doesn't mean you have to step out on prom night looking less than lovely.

Here are ways to cut back on costs — but not glamour.

Shop around. Most stores, anticipating the economic downturn, stocked up on moderately priced prom dresses.

At the Forever 21 chain at the Mall at Millenia in Orlando, Fla., for example, dressy designs can be found for about $25. At Macy's and Dillard's, short prom dresses start at $79 — and some are already on sale for even less. Dillard's also is offering $45 worth of gift certificates with the purchase of a regularly priced prom dress on April 17-19.

Shop thrift and consignment stores. This is an especially good year to find prom bargains, says Cheryl Wood, owner of Classic Consignments in Altamonte Springs and Winter Park, Fla., where prices start at $19.99. "Lots of stores are closing, and we're getting their inventory," she says.

Shop at school. A number of high schools have collections of donated prom attire and accessories, which are free to students from all area high schools.

Shop online. But remember, there's no guarantee the dress will fit properly when it arrives, and shipment may be delayed — so allow time for dealing with such problems.

Shop short. Short dresses often cost less than long gowns and are very much in fashion this year. They're also more useful than long gowns after the prom is a mere memory.

Shop simple. Unadorned, clean-cut designs are generally less expensive than elaborate styles. Dress up plain dresses with glitzy accessories or sew on your own trimmings — beads, sequins, flowers, feathers, etc.

Beg, borrow or trade. Friends and relatives are sure to have jewelry, evening bags, even shoes you can use.

Buy flats. They often cost less than heels, are more comfortable for dancing and come in really cute styles. Besides, under a long dress, on a dark and crowded dance floor, shoes are virtually invisible.

Skip the fancy, high-priced hairdo. Keep your hair simple and natural (guys prefer it that way), but dress it up with a decorated headband. They cost just a few dollars, or are easy to make by gluing craft-store silk flowers onto drug-store headbands.

Get a cut-rate hairdo. Ask if your salon is offering special prom rates. Or check with hairstyling colleges, where the cost of services is far lower than at salons.

Skip the costly makeover. You can do your own nails and makeup. Just don't leave your nails to the last minute. And remember that practice makes perfect.

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(c) 2009, The Orlando Sentinel (Fla.).

Visit the Sentinel on the World Wide Web at http://www.orlandosentinel.com/.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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Cost of college, economic woes have high school seniors weighing options

From left, Alden Mitchell, 16, Rachel Brown, 17, and Sheri Park, 18, critique paintings during an advanced placement art class at Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, California, on April 15, 2009. Brown is a senior who is currently deciding on colleges for the next school year. This is the time of year that students and parents must finally commit to the school of their choice. (Gary Reyes/San Jose Mercury News/MCT)

By Dana Hull
San Jose Mercury News
(MCT)

SAN JOSE, Calif. _ Mike Maietta was eating lunch when he got a text message from his mom.

"Notre Dame," it said. "Big envelope!"

Mike, a senior in high school, whooped for joy. The big envelope meant the storied Catholic university in South Bend, Ind., had offered him a coveted slot in its Class of 2013. But the $51,300 annual price tag is a formidable obstacle. So Mike and his parents are considering offers from several other colleges and calculating the costs _ tuition, housing, holiday trips home.

This year, money is the driving factor for a growing number of high school seniors, who are spreading out the acceptance letters and crunching the numbers to decide what colleges to attend this fall. Layoffs, plunging home values and decimated college savings accounts have vastly changed family finances.

"We're ecstatic that Mike got into so many great schools," said Michael Maietta, his father, an engineer at Microsoft. "But if you consider going to school out of state, you've got to think about all of the other costs: moving, flying back and forth for the holidays. You're looking at about $3,000 a year just for travel."

More than 7.6 million students have filled out the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, a 19.9 percent increase over last year.

The federal Department of Education this month urged college financial aid officers to give more help to families suffering from the recession. And a record 30,428 students applied for 2,300 slots at Stanford, in part because the university boosted financial aid for families earning below $100,000.

Students have until May 1 to decide on a school, and many campuses require "matriculation deposits" up to $400 to secure their slots for the fall. As families weigh their options, some are going back to financial aid offices in hopes that packages can be boosted.

"The most heartbreaking appeals at this point are from families where parents are just being told about layoffs in the last few weeks," said Karen Cooper, director of financial aid at Stanford. "Even those who thought they had a plan in place are scrambling to come up with new options."

Mary Nucciarone, an assistant director of financial aid at Notre Dame, said several families of admitted students are asking the university to consider new information.

"Loss of bonus income, loss of home equity, decrease in assets, mortgages underwater," she said. "People are coming back to us and saying, 'Did you consider this?'"

(EDITORS: BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM)

Santa Clara University, where tuition, room and board top $46,000 a year, is concerned accepted students may choose more affordable alternatives instead. So nearly 400 alumni volunteers are now telephoning every admitted student; the most highly valued prospective students receive calls from President Michael Engh or Provost Lucia Albino Gilbert.

(END OPTIONAL TRIM)

Mike Maietta got into eight colleges, and narrowed his top choices to a final five: Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Loyola Marymount, Gonzaga and the University of San Diego.

As the Maiettas turn the options over in their minds, numerous factors come into play. Loyola Marymount and Gonzaga offered Mike partial scholarships, but Notre Dame and Vanderbilt did not. Loyola, in Los Angeles, is within driving distance. But the cost of housing at Gonzaga, in Spokane, Wash., is slightly cheaper.

"Fifty thousand dollars a year is a lot of money," said Mike, who wants to study mechanical engineering. "I'd like to go to Notre Dame or Vanderbilt, but I can see myself at LMU."

(EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE)

Rachel Brown was ecstatic when she got a thick envelope from New York University; she's always wanted to live in Manhattan. But given tuition and the cost of living in New York, she's seriously considering the University of California-San Diego.

"The tuition for NYU is like twice as much as UCSD," said Rachel, 17, who is struggling to decide. "My mom doesn't want me to have a big debt when I graduate, and I don't want that either. I'd have to take out a loan for like $15,000 ... I'm going to check and see if there's any way that NYU can offer me any financial aid."

Jonathan Kaslow got into nine colleges, including Occidental, George Washington University and Lewis & Clark. But he's pretty much decided on UCSD.

"The cost of the private schools just isn't worth it," said Jonathan, who plans to study political science. "My mom got laid off from Sun Microsystems and is completely flipping out about money. I can see myself at UCSD, and sometimes Southwest has $40 fares so it won't cost too much to fly home."

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© 2009, San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.).

Visit MercuryNews.com, the World Wide Web site of the Mercury News, at http://www.mercurynews.com.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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PHOTOS (from MCT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): COLLEGECOSTS

High School Students Receive a Message of Strength and Perserverance

ST. JAMES (Smithtown Central school District) - Sarah Reinerstsen recently visited the 11th and 12th grade students at Smithtown High School East. Sarah is an inspirational young motivational speaker. She is a magnetic woman with a potent message of strength and perseverance. Missing her leg above the knee since the age of seven, Sarah has never let that stop her from pursuing her goals no matter how big. She is a woman of spirit, strength and determination who has always any challenge to meet her goal. Sarah is the first female amputee to finish the Ironman Triathlon championships in Kona Hawaii.

National Honor Society Visits Nursing Care Facility

ST. JAMES (Smithtown Central School District) - Members of the Smithtown High School East’s Honor Society recently visited after school with the patients at the Smithtown Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing Care. The residents were treated to a fantastic concert by the following students: Brian Harte on guitar, Caitlin Marsh on vocals, Jennifer Cohen on flute and vocals, Emily Hittner on flute and vocals, Mitchell Feinberg on piano and vocals, Diane Cho on vocals, and James Brierton and Megan Russ were there for moral support. The visit was organized and supervised by Science teacher Maria Trinkle who is co-advisor for the National Honor Society.

Videoconferencing Broadens Knowledge of High School Students

Matthew Hennings Sports Management Class at Smithtown High School East recently had an opportunity to meet with Andy Collier from The Baseball Hall of Fame via videoconference. Students experienced a unique lesson in free enterprise through the evolution of contracts and commerce and have a better understanding of the decision-making process that defines the employer-employee relationship, including negotiation, conflict resolution and contract enforcement. In addition, students had an opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussion with Mr. Collier.

Smithtown DECA Garners Awards at State Championships

28 Students to Compete at National Championships


Smithtown High School East & West DECA (DECA – A National Marketing Association) completed its best ever results at the recent State Championship Conference in Rochester. Over half the students received recognition with four first in the state recognition. With their phenomenal performance, 28 students will represent Smithtown at the International Conference to be held in Anaheim, California beginning on April 29th.

When the buses left the school, the students and advisors, Cindy Wood and Phil Como – West and Christine LoFrese and Matt Hennings – East were optimistic about DECA’s chances at the State Competitions. The students worked with business people from the Industry Advisory Board, School of Business teachers and each other to prepare for this year’s State competition.

Four Smithtown East DECA students, Caitlin Ziegler, Ben Lynn, Chris Giamanco and Mike Porter were inducted into the New York State DECA Honor Society (photo below). Smithtown West DECA student, Dan Vrana, was the winner of the New York State DECA T-Shirt Contest.

The three day competition marked the best showing for the Smithtown DECA Chapters. In addition to the competitive medals, Smithtown DECA East & West were recognized for Chapter Enrollment Increase and Community Service Recognitions. Smithtown West DECA received recognition for the largest donation in the state for the 2009 New York State Charity – Autism Speaks. This charity was chosen by New York State DECA as the recipient of the state chapters’ fundraising efforts this year.

The three day competition engages students in many different business scenarios. Students engage in various competitions, ranging from written tests to role plays where students take on the part of a business owner, a vendor, or other business. Judges rate the participants on content, professional, presentation and business acumen. Some of the categories include Accounting, Business Law, Finance, Public Speaking, Sales Demo, Visual Advertising, Hospitality, Travel and Tourism, Food Marketing, General Marketing, Retail Merchandising and Sports Marketing. “The Smithtown School of Business department has always geared our students to real life situations. From our Industry Advisory Board, to innovative programs, we prepare our students for many different pathways. I am very proud of the work our students have done and I applaud the advisors for working so diligently with our students,” said Sherrion Elmore, Chairperson of the Career and Technical Education Department.

Smithtown DECA will be represented by 28 students at the International Career Conference in Anaheim. The students who attained this honor include – EAST : Brian Read, Taylor Zografakis, Patrick Kelly, Chris Giamanco, Tyler Kraese, Dan Maitles, Lyndsey Kaplan, Katherine Connor, Meagan Voulo, Lauren Thomassen, Taylor Hoffman, Caitlin Ziegler, Gabriella Sehne, Cristina Capone and Ryan Locks. WEST: Natasha Mitchko, Reena Glaser, Jacob Wirth, Andrew Jarrah, Joseph Arias, Bryan Kane, Tom Kirnbauer, Lauren Baruch, Connor Levens, Dan Vrana, Matt Thogersen, Ken Anthony-Scaturro and Steve Gardella (pictures below). The students will compete against the winner in other state competitions, and other international chapters.

Students Working Together

High School students and the fifth grade enrichment groups from all of the elementary schools are working together on a project entitled C.L.A.S.S. (children learning about social studies). The topic is the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World combined with the wonders of Canada, the United States and Mexico. Students work in groups and choose a wonder to research. Each group has a HS student as a mentor who assists the fifth graders by showing them how to navigate a web quest. The final product for the fifth grade students will be a newspaper on the wonders.

Winter Storm Warning: Overnight Update

Here is the latest from Megan Russ in the SmithtownRadio.com Weather Center:

>No school Monday

>Winter Storm Warning in effect until Mon 6 pm et

>10+ inches of snow expected for most of island

...MAJOR SNOWSTORM TO IMPACT TRI-STATE AREA OVERNIGHT AND MONDAY...

.LOW PRESSURE MOVING OFF THE CAROLINA COAST WILL TRACK
NORTHEAST...PASSING TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF LONG ISLAND MONDAY
MORNING. THE LOW WILL THEN PROCEED UP INTO THE GULF OF MAINE BY
MONDAY EVENING. STRONG CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTH WILL
PROVIDE THE COLD AIR FOR A MAINLY SNOW EVENT...WITH SOME SLEET
MIXING IN LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING OVER FAR SOUTHEASTERN
CONNECTICUT AND THE TWIN FORKS OF LONG ISLAND.

CTZ005>012-NJZ002>006-011-NYZ067>081-021030-
/O.CON.KOKX.WS.W.0004.000000T0000Z-090302T2300Z/
NORTHERN FAIRFIELD-NORTHERN NEW HAVEN-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX-
NORTHERN NEW LONDON-SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD-SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN-
SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX-SOUTHERN NEW LONDON-WESTERN PASSAIC-BERGEN-
EASTERN PASSAIC-ESSEX-HUDSON-UNION-ORANGE-PUTNAM-ROCKLAND-
NORTHERN WESTCHESTER-SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER-NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)-
BRONX-RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND)-KINGS (BROOKLYN)-QUEENS-NASSAU-
NORTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-NORTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-
SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-
909 PM EST SUN MAR 1 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST MONDAY...

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST MONDAY.

A STEADY SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT AND
INTO MONDAY MORNING. THERE MAY BE ENOUGH WARM AIR ALOFT FOR SLEET
TO MIX IN ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT AND THE TWIN FORKS OF
LONG ISLAND AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM...BUT FOR THE MOST PART
THIS WILL BE AN ALL SNOW EVENT. THE SNOW WILL THEN TAPER OFF
MONDAY AFTERNOON.

TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER
ORANGE AND WESTERN PASSAIC COUNTIES...TO 10 TO 14 INCHES ACROSS
CENTRAL LONG ISLAND AND SOUTH CENTRAL CONNECTICUT. SOMEWHAT LOWER
AMOUNTS ARE FORECAST ACROSS THE TWIN FORKS OF EASTERN LONG ISLAND
AND SOUTHEAST CONNECTICUT DUE TO THE SNOW POSSIBLY MIXING WITH
SLEET. FOR THE NEW YORK CITY METRO AREA...8 TO 12 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED.

SUSTAINED NORTH WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 30 TO
OCCASIONALLY 35 MPH WILL RESULT IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH
VISIBILITIES OF LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE AT TIMES.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...
SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA ALL HAZARDS WEATHER RADIO OR VISIT OUR WEB
SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/NYC FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND UPDATES.

$$

Banquet Forecast

(SmithtownRadio.com) - Megan Russ in the SmithtownRadio.com Weather Center is calling for a very cold evening Wednesday for the East Senior Banquet.

A low of 14 is forecasted with partly cloudy skies. The wind chill is going to drop to zero Wednesday evening.

Megan's forecast be can heard thirty minutes past any hour on http://www.smithtownradio.com/ or anytime on the Web site.

2/3: One Hour Early Dismissal

1/28: 2 HR Delay, Morning Tests Cancelled

The Smithtown Central School District will be operating on a two hour delayed start at all middle and elementary schools.

At the high schools, all 7:30 a.m. tests have been cancelled. 11 a.m. tests will be given as scheduled with pick up beginning at 10:30 a.m.

School Calendar Changes

The Board of Education approved the following changes to the 2008-2009 District Calendar:

>February 2, 2009, has been added as a Superintendent’s Conference Day to score the ELA 3-5 assessments. There will be no school for K-5 students, but school will be in session for students in grades 6-12.

>The ELA Scoring Day originally scheduled for February 5, 2009 will remain for the purpose of scoring ELA 6-8 assessments and the English Regents. There will be no school for students in grades 6-12, but school will be in session for K-5 students.

>March 23, 2009, has been added as a scoring date for the Math 3-5 assessments. There will be no school for K-5 students, but school will be in session for students in grades 6-12.

>March 27, 2009, originally scheduled as a Superintendent’s Conference Day, will remain for the purpose of scoring the Math 6-8 assessments. K-5 students will attend school as usual, but there will be no school for students in grades 6-12.

1/15: Early Dismissal

1/15: 1 HR EARLY DISMISSAL

Breaking News:

SMITHTOWN SCHOOLS: ONE HOUR EARLY DISMISSAL / ALL AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITES AND EVENING ACTIVITIES CANCELED

Schools Dismissed Early

The Smithtown Central School District dismissed all schools early Friday pending the worst of the approaching snow storm.

The high schools dismissed seniors who drive to school at noon and all other students were dismissed at 12:30 p.m.

The middle schools were dismissed at 1:10 p.m.

Accompsett, Mills Pond, Mt. Pleasant and Tackan Elementary Schools will be dismissed at 1:50 p.m.. Branch Brook, Dogwood, Nesconset, St. James and Smithtown Elementary Schools will be dismissed at 2:30 p.m.

All after school activities have been canceled for Friday.

SmithtownRadio.com's Megan Russ has been tracking the storm from the Weather Center and tells us we could see between 2-3 inches of snow here on the north shore by the end of Friday. SmithtownRadio.com has complete coverage of the storm with updates at the top and bottom of every hour.

Bathrooms Closed for Second Straight Day

Administration has closed many bathrooms for the second straight day.

In an e-mail to staff, Mr. Thompson explained the bathrooms were being closed in an attempt to curtail recent smoking incidents.

On Thursday, the two third floor bathrooms were locked and the boys' bathroom in the science wing was closed for repairs. Students were forced to use the bathrooms near the Main Cafe and the art wing.

Despite efforts to prevent smoking incidents, smoke could still be smelt in the air of the boys' bathroom near the Main Cafe on Thursday during 7th period. On previous days, smoke could also be smelt in the air within this same bathroom.

Flooding Closes Staircase

Thursday nights heavy rain could not be held back by what's left of Smithtown High School East's already failing roof.

School officials closed a portion of the North Tower staircase Friday due to flooding. The section closed, which links the second and third floors, was covered in water leaking in from the ceiling above. Garbage cans and towels have been placed in the staircase to try and contain the leaking water.

The staircase is a vital connection for students attempting to travel between classes in the North and South towers. Students are being rerouted to the emergency staircase, located at the end of the North Tower. Students traveling from the third to first floors must first go down one flight in the emergency staircase and then the rest of the way on the regular staircase.

This staircase has seen its list of issues. School years prior, the staircase was left covered in water, which has found its way from the ceiling.

The Matador will continue to track building conditions and will post updates as news warrants.

A complete photo gallery can be found on the homepage at www.TheMatadorOnline.com.

Multi-Faith Forum at HSE

Ninth grade students at Smithtown High School East recently participated in an activity with the Long Island Multi-Faith Forum. The LI Multi-Faith Forum is an organization representing eleven faiths, and exists in order to acquaint people with the beliefs and practices of these traditions in order to promote interfaith understanding. Students had an opportunity to meet and dialogue with representatives of the Baha’i Faith, Brahma Kumaris, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, and Unitarian Universalism, as well as examine articles of the faiths.

Leadership Awards

Deanna Grunenberg has been selected as the student who will represent Smithtown High School East at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar. The selected student is an outstanding sophomore who has demonstrated exceptional leadership ability and has participated in community service. The leadership seminar is designed to prepare our country’s high school sophomores to become effective, ethical leaders in their home, schools, workplace, and community. Selected high school students from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Mexico, Korea, Taiwan and Israel attend each year. Only one student is selected each year from HS East.

Christopher Morano and Samantha Cardillo have been selected to receive the Rotary Youth Leadership Award. This program is for 10th grade students who demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities. Rotary defines best leaders as students who have shown leadership potential, have demonstrated outstanding ability in public speaking or have been regarded by their peers as having leadership qualities. This leadership potential may be demonstrated in any activity in or out of school.

LOTE Honor Society Induction at SHS East

The LOTE (Language Other Than English) Honor Societies of Smithtown High School East held their Induction Ceremony on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at Smithtown High School East. 167 students were inducted into the French, German, Italian and Spanish Honor Societies. Parents, teachers and administrators were there to honor the students’ achievements.