YOUNGSTOWN — While the Youngstown high schools are not sponsoring proms for senior students, a group of enthusiastic East High School parents and alumni decided this senior event is too important to ignore.

The East High School Class of 2021 Senior Weekend, May 14-16, is being sponsored by alumni of East High — not the school district.

Justin Jennings, school district chief executive officer, on Tuesday told the Youngstown Board of Education there will not be a district-sponsored event this year.

East High School seniors, however, will have a series of activities recognizing their 2021 school year through the efforts of parents and alumni. The parents and alumni believe even in a year affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the young people should be honored for their accomplishments.

The weekend events will include:

• A senior cookout 3 to 7 p.m. May 14 at Chestnut Hill Pavilion in Mill Creek MetroParks.

• A Golden Bear Alumni Party 6 to 10 p.m. May 15 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Hall, 4490 Norquest Blvd. in Austintown.

• A baccalaureate service at 4:30 p.m. May 16 at Rising Star Baptist Church, 2943 Wardle Ave., Youngstown.

The East High parents and alumni were spurred to action when they realized proms had not been planned for graduating seniors.

Danielle Colvin, whose daughter, Sara, 18, will graduate this year, said her daughter and friends were heartbroken when they learned there would not be a prom.

“The kids were disappointed and let down,” she said. “They were waiting the whole year for these kinds of senior events.”

Colvin reached out to other area school districts, including Boardman and Canfield, to find out what they were doing for their seniors.

“They found ways,” she said. “They put the effort into how they could have proms.”

She then reached out to the East High School Alumni Association and others for help.

In the meantime, Kimberly Johnson and Octavia Cosper, both East alumni, also were concerned about the school’s seniors not having a traditional prom for the second year in a row.

“The district did not have a plan to do anything,” Johnson said. “We wanted to have something in East High School to show it could be transformed into something special.”

But they could not — and time was passing.

The two women reached out to everyone they knew from their graduating class and asked their friends to reach out to others using social media platforms.

Response from the community was almost immediate and generous, according to Cosper.

“We’ve raised almost $3,000 in cash donations, and many people are donating their time, skills and other gifts,” Cosper said.

Johnson noted many residents are donating services, including hairstylists providing free services to those needing it; Victory Christian Church arranging to provide free dresses; MGI Computer allowing them to print flyers at no cost; Immaculate Heart Of Mary Parish Hall waiving its fee; and a catering service providing food at reduced costs. Johnson also said nurses are volunteering to attend the events to make sure everyone follow CDC protocol for mask wearing and social distancing.

“We all chipped in to to put this on for the kids,” Cosper said. “We (alumni) are stepping in to fill the gap.”

“There are no words to express our gratitude to those helping to make sure these three days of events occur,” Johnson said. “The response has been encouraging. Anything we’ve needed the community has donated.”