Al Roker throws virtual prom for high school seniors who had theirs canceled
Al Roker had one question for a senior class at a Nebraska high school that has endured catastrophic flooding in their town and the cancellation of their graduation ceremony as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Prom?
The TODAY co-host and weatherman decided he was going to make sure the class of 2020 at Douglas County West High School in Valley at least had a virtual prom to remember after their prom was also canceled due to the pandemic.
The seniors got all dressed up, complete with corsages and boutonnieres Al had delivered to their homes, and had a dance party.
Al's sweet gesture came after TODAY's Hoda Kotb helped out a couple whose wedding was canceled by the pandemic when she served as a minister at their virtual wedding.
The senior class also crowned Matthew Allen and Layne Thompson the prom king and queen before being treated to a beautiful rendition of their school song by senior Zoe Sennett. One of Sennett's biggest musical influences is singer Demi Lovato, who popped into the virtual prom to celebrate with the seniors.
"I just wanted to say hi and a special shoutout to Zoe and the DC West seniors," Lovato said. "I just wanted to say that I'm so proud of all of you for staying home. I hope this is the world's most epic virtual prom."
"I think my whole life is made," Sennett said.
Amazon also surprised each of the seniors with a $100 gift card, a year of Prime Student membership, and a Fire 7 tablet to mark the occasion.
The prom was an uplifting moment for a senior class that has volunteered to clean medical supplies, delivered groceries and hot meals and local seniors, and sold T-shirts to raise money for local scholarships since the pandemic began.
"This class as a whole has really joined in and made the community better," Douglas County West assistant principal Nathan Ter Beest said on TODAY.
The seniors also faced adversity last year when their small Nebraska town was hit by catastrophic flooding that plagued large swaths of the Midwest.
"I just know that our class will stay senior strong throughout the rest of our lives just by supporting and being there for each other," one senior said on TODAY.
