Broomfield High School JAM Provides Safe, Memorable Celebration for Prom Goers

By Missy Ruzicka

Chances are that if you live in Broomfield you’ve heard of Broomfield High School’s JAM, have attended JAM, volunteered at a JAM, donated to a JAM or have been lucky enough to experience it all.

Just After Midnight aka JAM, is BHS’s after prom party. The school is transformed into a magical party venue designed annually around a secret theme not revealed until the party begins! The halls of the school are not even recognizable! Since 1990 a team of up to 400 dedicated parents, teachers, and community volunteers gather to put together an extravagant night, a safe place for juniors and seniors to bring their dates for a night of games, gambling, food, and prizes. They don’t even have to attend Prom to come celebrate at the after party with their classmates.

It takes a pretty special community to put this all together for the kids and without the dedication of these volunteers it wouldn’t be the major success it has been for the past 32 years. Andrea Wallace volunteered for JAM for 8 years; for 5 of those she co-chaired and recalled how she loved getting to know the other parents, and being creative, but most of all watching the students enjoy the fruits of their labor at JAM. Jill Spencer volunteered and loved how it provided a safe environment that the kids genuinely looked forward to and she enjoyed seeing how much the kids loved it. This year Cristy Butcher and Erika Pazol are the experienced JAM leaders and both agree it’s a great event to be a part of. They say working closely with friends and BHS staff and watching the community come together is exciting. “We have an amazing community that we are lucky enough to be a part of.”

Megan Mayes (Class of 2016) spoke about how much love and effort went into JAM. “Year after year the community pulls together to give Broomfield teenagers a one-of-a-kind experience.” She said growing up in Broomfield she always looked forward to the community walk through and couldn’t wait to be in high school so she could attend. Then as a student it was a night to be totally carefree. No pressures from AP tests or college applications, just a night to be a kid rolling down the bouncy slide, riding giant trikes, and just being goofy with your classmates. Her sister Allison Eichner (Class of 2018) talked about her favorite theme which was the “Turn the Page” book theme. “It was so fun as a senior to just spend the whole night playing and being a kid with my whole class before we graduated.” She said the school and the JAM volunteers do such a good job of honoring the seniors and making the night truly special for them.

This year JAM will be on April 30, from Just After Midnight to 4:00 a.m. Like the alumni mentioned, it takes a special community to pull this all together and the list of sponsors is impressive. Everyone from neighborhood dentists, tattoo parlors, restaurants, car dealers, and realtors, to event centers and recreation centers. Sill-TerHar Motors and IPie are just some of JAM’s longtime supporters. Volunteers are still needed and any amount of time you could give would be much appreciated. There is room for everyone to help, you don’t even have to have a BHS student. Please see the sign-up genius on bhsjam.com if you can help.

If you want to get a look at the school transformed for JAM, plan to attend the Community Walk-Through at 6:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on April 30. Donations are encouraged.