High Life / A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : Club Medieval : Grads at La Habra High Hold Court in a 2-Story ‘Castle’

La Habra High School held its fourth on-campus grad night last week, and sponsors said it was a resounding success. Parent Dotty Shively, co-chairman of the “Medieval Times” party along with Linda Palmer, estimated attendance at more than 90% of the senior class.

Parents Frank and Fay Bretz helped to re-create a two-story castle in the high school’s gymnasium, where students were entertained by a disc jockey. Outside, in the decorated courtyard, students could have their portraits done, receive washable tattoos, have their hair braided and get hands-on lessons from a potter--when they weren’t eating.

Shively, whose daughter, Debbie, was senior class president, praised the parent volunteers who worked for six months on the event. “Without community support, we definitely could not do this,” said Shively, who also credited GRADS, a nonprofit foundation in Costa Mesa that helps parents plan grad-night parties.

La Habra’s seniors, who participated from 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m., were escorted--12 at a time--from the school’s parking lot to the gymnasium in horse-drawn carriages. “They had to wait for a while in the parking lot,” Shively said, “but they were the best-behaved group of kids.”

Of Orange County’s 74 public and private high schools, 60 offered their own versions of grad night--some on campus, some off--in an effort to provide graduates with a more exclusive evening of celebration and to keep them away from drugs and alcohol.