Broomfield after-prom JAM event gearing up for 33rd year

Corbett Stevenson, Daily Camera, Boulder, Colo.
·2 min read

Apr. 6—In an unmarked shed north of Broomfield High School, a group of volunteers gear up for one of the school's largest events of the year.

The large shed is full of painted cardboard, faux plants, props and artwork. Colorful decorations hang from the ceiling, and the air is filled with the smell of drying paint. Lovingly known as the 'JAM shed,' this space has hosted volunteers and parents preparing for the after-prom event for years.

Just After Midnight, commonly known as JAM, is an entirely volunteer-led event that takes place from midnight to 4 a.m. after the Broomfield High School prom. JAM was created as an alternative to after-prom parties, with the goal of being a drug- and alcohol-free environment for students to have fun and let loose after the big dance.

"It's a 100% parent-run organization set up with a goal of keeping our kids safe," Erika Pazol explained. "It's all about taking them off the streets and providing a fun alternative to after-prom parties."

Pazol has been a JAM volunteer for five years, and explained that the event is a huge undertaking.

"(JAM) costs tens of thousands of dollars ... and we plan for roughly 11 months every year." she said.

The money to fund the event comes from donations from parents and community members along with fundraising efforts and sponsorships from local businesses.

JAM began as a small event in 1990, and has since blossomed into an "extravaganza," Pazol said. The high school's juniors, seniors and their guests are encouraged to attend the entirely free event where they are greeted with a wide array of activities, including prizes, bingo, arcade games, a casino, photo booths and lots of food.

Pazol and dozens of other volunteers gather in the JAM shed as often as they can to hand make decorations and props for the event. The volunteers will decorate over a dozen rooms in the high school for the big night, with the goal of making it completely unrecognizable.

All of the decorations and props keep with the central JAM theme, which is chosen by the parents and kept top-secret until the night of the event.

Family, friends and community members who want to see the extravagant decorations and transformed school are invited to a walkthrough April 15 from 7 to 9 p.m. before the event. While there, they can learn of the secret theme and view the BHS "Senior Hallway," where photos of the seniors will be displayed.

The doors to the event are only open from 11:45 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., and in classic overnight lockdown fashion, anyone who leaves the event will not be able to reenter.

"It's really about making it so much fun that they don't want to leave," Pazol said.