By Mikaela STONE

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Prom Plus moves forward with a new board and an exciting vision.

Thirty years ago, Prom Plus was formed to give high school seniors a safe place to go after prom. The genesis of the organization was the death of Crescenta Valley High School senior Berlyn Cosman who died at an after-prom hotel party in 1991. In 2024, the leaders of Prom Plus, many of whom had volunteered in the organization for more than a decade, stepped down though they feared a lack of new volunteers meant the non-profit would close for good. Instead, the community stepped up and Prom Plus was reborn. 

The current volunteers of Prom Plus hope to reintroduce themselves to the Crescenta Valley community, not just at prom time but all year round. Prom Plus vice president Asia Bribiesca-Hedin has seen the impact of the organization on her two graduated children and wants the same for her current CVHS senior: an event that is “well put together, safe and actually fun.” Her daughter has “been out [of CVHS for] maybe eight years and still remembers [Prom Plus] fondly. That says a lot to me about the value of the evening, the value of the organization.” 

While the volunteer board is dedicated, Bribiesca-Hedin described the process of rebuilding Prom Plus as “building a plane as you fly it.” An event on the scale of the organization’s after-prom party costs over $20,000 and the donated time of volunteers to set up and clean up the event, supervise hundreds of teenagers and run activities. In the past, the night has included a zipline, mechanical bull, casino and plenty of food. As the non-profit focuses on rebuilding, the 2025 Prom Plus is likely to be pared down compared to previous years. The expected number of attendees, however, will depend on further community involvement and donation. Already, volunteers have offered support in various ways. Previous Prom Plus volunteers, such as previous Crescenta Valley Town Council President Harry Leon, have returned to donate time and money. Even Senator Sasha Renée Pérez has offered her help following in the footsteps of her predecessor Anthony Portantino. 

Bribiesca-Hedin stressed that there is room for every community member to help out in any capacity they wish as Prom Plus rebuilds – and into the future. 

“We are here because the need for Prom Plus has not gone away,” she said. “It has only grown.”

As a Crescenta Valley High School teacher and parent, Prom Plus secretary Jonathan Allen takes the safety of local students seriously. Before serving as secretary, he volunteered at Prom Plus yearly. 

“I’ve always thought that Prom Plus was a great gift that our community gives to our seniors and to our students,” he said. For Allen, the genesis of Prom Plus is close to home. He attended prom the same year Cosman was killed. He knew her as a talented basketball player and a kind person. 

Working on the board of Prom Plus, he was moved by the generosity of local businesses and people. The board of the Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund represents some of these people who have offered the non-profit a grant to help rebuild. Prom Plus intends to work with local businesses by offering the option to finance specific activities in return for exposure and advertisement on the night of the after party. 

Prom Plus members will be found on the campus of Crescenta Valley High School at its April 10 open house with volunteers grilling hotdogs and burgers for parents and students while raising needed funds for the post-prom event. 

The Prom Plus after party will take place the night of CVHS prom – Saturday, May 17. Members hope for the help of as many community members as possible. A volunteer sign-up list will soon be posted at https://www.promplus.org/. Tax deductible donations can be made at https://www.promplus.org/contact-us. For questions or comments, email donate@promplus.org.