Sipping and spilling tea with friends and family at the senior tea party! On Saturday, March 18, the Key Club at Pennridge High School organized a tea event that brought seniors and their moms, stepmoms, and grandmothers together. The event was run by Key Club advisor, and teacher, Rachel Hoffman, and her Key Club members. The event offered live music played by Pennridge student Michael Frenzen and offered an assortment of delicious treats prepared by the nutritional service staff. The event was held in the Pennridge High School cafeteria; the club did an amazing job creating a wonderland for senior students and their families to enjoy.

The event brought seniors and their families together to indulge in tea and a three-course meal. The event offered a yummy strawberry vinaigrette salad, sandwiches in the shape of ladybugs, and a variety of well-decorated treats. Those who attended the event had a great time bonding and getting to know each other’s peers and their families. The Key Club advertised the event through the Daily Ramble, posters around the school, and social media. On the day of the event, 46 people attended, and the money raised was donated to a charity. The event was decorated to give the feel of a magical tea party, with flower garlands and lanterns. The tables were decorated with teapots, plates with nicely folded napkins, and cute teacups. The star of the show was the flavorful tea. Key club chose a local tea house located in Souderton, Pa, called Tillymints. Tillymints provided a variety of teas for those who attended the event. The event was a great way for students to enjoy time with their families and a peaceful environment with hot tea and live jazz music playing in the background.

Ava Oliphant, a senior at Pennridge High School and Key Club member, felt “the music was perfect for adding vibes of the tea party, the pianist, Michael Frenzen, was so talented! Having music the whole time made it feel like we were in a real restaurant or tea shop; I enjoyed all of his song choices and definitely wouldn’t have been the same without him.” After everyone was finishing eating, Key Club provided a basket raffle for students and family members to take part in. The event did a fantastic job keeping the tea party both fun and relaxing. Once the event was over, those who ran the tea party felt like the event went smoothly and was overall happy with the results. Oliphant said, “I am extremely happy with how the event went, we did a lot of planning beforehand, and it was a great time seeing everyone having so much fun with their families and friends before the end of senior year.” For years now the Key Club has been planning this special tea for family and friends. The club plans to continue to do this tea for the upcoming seniors. The club hopes to make some changes though, Hoffman said “I would love to have more people and find a way to get the word out; we advertised on the daily ramble, posted flyers around the school, on the 2023 canvas page, and on Instagram. Only 22 seniors came out of the 620 members. I am just wondering the most effective way to reach everyone.”

Overall, the Senior Tea was a great experience for friends and family to come together and enjoy some delicious tea, yummy food, and some jazz. The senior tea will continue to be an event run by Key Club and more seniors should get involved in the future!

https://tillymints.com/

https://www.nugs.net/05-09-2022-benefits-of-live-music-to-physical-and-mental-health.html#:~:text=People%20who%20regularly%20experience%20live,years%20longer%2C%20in%20fact).