M-State to host annual Prom Expo Feb. 22

For the third year, students at the Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Detroit Lakes, are taking what they've learned in class and applying it to the real world.

The events planning and advertising classes are planning and promoting Prom Expo 2010.

"This is the first time we've included marketing through the advertising class," instructor Marcus Lacher said.

Students have been planning, designing posters, asking businesses for support, and getting ready to breathe a sigh of relief when it's all over.

"We were starting from scratch even though we had a base," Stacey Gravelle said.

Peggy McKeown agreed that the budgeting and contacting the "sources we want to use" was a lot of time spent. Even down to the date of the expo.

Gravelle added that in the past years there have been snowstorms and local sports teams going to state, so hopefully the later February date will help.

Although the expo has been held in the past, she added, the students still had to talk to every business and organize what they had.

The two main sponsors are Barbara's Hair and Body Care and WE Fest.

The expo, scheduled for Monday, Feb. 22, will feature all the latest trends in prom in one location. There will be vendors at M-State featuring gowns, tuxes, jewelry, hair, make-up and more. There will also be a fashion show and door prizes.

And to entice the guys, there will be a "men's only drawing" for an authentic Adrian Peterson jersey.

The Prom Expo is from 5 to 8 p.m., with the fashion show at 7 p.m. The grand prize drawing of a $200 spa package is at 7:45 p.m., and door prizes will be given out every 15 minutes.

Since the expo is for students to learn, money raised from the $2 admission price will be donated to the Lakes Area Crisis and Resource Center.

"It's a great start to start thinking about prom," Gravelle said. It's the place to get a lot of ideas in one location, she added.

As for the students, it's a good start for them as well.

"It's an authentic application of theories they have learned in class," Lacher said.