The advent of the Last Chance Dance on Friday, May 30, signals the coming of summer break. Organizers hope that this year’s dance will copy the success of last year’s dance, but with a few changes and challenges.

“We will have a DJ, hopefully [from] Wild 94.9,” Student Activities Director Allison Davies said. “The theme will be ‘white tees and Nike’s.'”

A major issue surrounding the dance is the administration’s new policy of breathalyzing all dance attendees.

“They [the breathalyzers] will be on passive mode (students do not have to blow into the devices),” Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson said. “It will take about five seconds per person.”

According to Davies, the school will have two entrances to speed up the process of students entering the dance. The school will use three breathalyzers and students walking past will be checked without having to blow into the breathalyzer.

Berkson said he has talked to administrators at other schools, including Hillsdale High School, to find out how other administrators deal with the use of breathalyzers at dances. Berkson also said that nothing but alcohol will set the breathalyzers off and that he is prepared for any excuses he might hear from students.

“If someone had Listerine, we would take them aside for 15 minutes,” Berkson said. “By then the alcohol would be gone.”

According to Berkson, if a student fails the breathalyzer’s passive mode test, he or she will be asked to blow into the breathalyzer to confirm if they are intoxicated. A student will not be searched for illegal substances unless he or she acts in a suspicious manner.

Students who have heard about the new procedures have mixed reactions.

“It’s [breathalyzing] pretty dumb,” freshman Erin McGovern said. “They [administration] are breathalyzing everyone who goes in. It’s a waste of time and they are making false assumptions [about students].”

On the other hand, some students see breathalyzing as a positive tool at dances.

“I would go to the Last Chance Dance,” sophomore Maddie Sykes said. “The breathalyzers keep things safer.”

Another issue facing attendence of the dance is the option for students to attend another dance the exact same night.

“ASB has really been struggling with the breathalyzer issue and that Gunn’s Global Citizen Club is having a dance the same time,” Davies said.

The option for students to attend another dance on the same night has caused the administration to worry that students will not attend the Last Chance Dance.

“I’m going to the one [dance] where they don’t breathalyze,” junior Michael Gilbert said. “I don’t think many people will go [to the Last Chance Dance].”

According to Davies, members of ASB have talked to students individually and has decided to keep the date of the dance.

The Last Chance Dance will be outside on the quad. The student center will be open and ASB may get more ping-pong tables for students to use when they are not on the dance-floor. Davies is still worried that students will not attend due to the breathalyzers and the Global Citizens Dance at Mitchell Park.

“This may very well be our lowest turnout,” Davies said. “We’re going to keep ticket prices the same unless we see we’ll lose money, then they [tickets] may be raised one dollar.”

The Last Chance Dance lasts from 7-10 p.m. Tickets are $5 with an ASB card, and $10 without one.