Valley View PTA Hosts Annual Daddy/Daughter Dinner Dance

Photo by Misty DUPLESSIS TOP left: Principal Carla Walker and her father Andon Jurukoe make a tradition of attending the dance together each year. TOP right: A dad proudly models his toilet paper gown. MIDDLE-left: Gary and Lana Campanella enjoy the handmade fireplace with Principal Walker’s family photos. MIDDLE-Right: Dan, Hailey and Paige Mercer at the dessert table. BOTTOM-right: Jessa and Jim Tiedman (second time attendees) and Amanda and Robert Chookhachain (fifth time attending).

By Misty DUPLESSIS

On Friday evening, Jan. 28 the Valley View Elementary PTA Daddy/Daughter Dinner Dance committee transformed the school’s cafeteria into a winter wonderland ball for the school’s fifth annual event.

By 6:30 p.m. the ceremonial blue carpet was laid out, the cafeteria was decorated with snowflakes, ice skates and glittered mittens while stars illuminated the ceiling and a homemade fireplace displayed photos of Principal Carla Walker and her family.

Fathers arrived dressed in suits and their daughters were dolled up and ready to have
a great time. Half of the
school’s girls from kindergarten through sixth grade were in attendance making this year a success.

Committee head Zoe White said they had an excellent turnout and credited many of the parents for working as much as they did to make the night a special one.

“[We have] the most amazing committee in the whole wide world,” said White adding that many families contributed a lot of time and effort.

PTA committee member Molly Hwang helped serve dinner at the buffet table this year. She said the dance was so fun.

“It’s really one of our best events. This and the mother/son event that is held in March,” Hwang said.

Parent and Valley View employee Carlos Hernandez accompanied his fifth grade daughter to the dance and was pleased at how the evening turned out. He said the committee did an excellent job of organizing everything and was equally thrilled that his older daughter donated baked goodies for the event.

This was veteran attendees Robert Chookhachian and his sixth grade daughter Amanda’s fifth time at the dinner/dance. Amanda has enjoyed going to the dances with her father each year.

For the last three years sixth graders were given the honor of sitting on the stage where they enjoyed sparkling cider with Principal Walker and her father Andon Jurukoe.

After the duos indulged in the top quality catered buffet they danced to music provided by a DJ who also coordinated games like “Name that song” and “Dress dad up in a toilet paper gown fashion show.”

At the end of the night the father and daughter teams took home commemorative photos and daughters left with keepsake snowflake necklaces.