Macaca Mulatta

• Personalized Glasses
• Personalized Shot Glasses
• Personalized Pint Glasses
• Personalized Beer Glasses
• Personalized Beer Mug
• Engraved Shot Glasses
• Engraved Glasses
• Personalized Glass
• Customized Shot Glasses
• Personalized Beer Mugs

It was a case of a good idea turning into a bad reality. Warwick High School in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, recently held their graduation ceremony and prom. Just like every other year, prom attendants were giving a prom gift as they left the celebration. Last year, it was picture frames for the girls and money clips for the boys. This year, in an effort to save money, the prom committee, which was made up of both faculty and parents, decided to give out engraved shot glasses to both junior and senior classes.

Engraved glass makes a unique and treasured gift in many situations but, for high school students too young to legally drink alcohol, the shot glasses were seen by most parents to be an inappropriate give that encourages teen drinking.

The purchase was approved by the school principal who told reporters that the purchase order he signed off on stated only that they were “prom souvenirs” and did not specify that they were shot glasses. In retrospect, the principal called the shot glasses a “poor choice” and blamed hurried preparations on the oversight. Over 450 shot glasses were ordered from a prom gift website.

A better gift that would still have the personalization of engraved glass would have been a tumbler or a mug, both of which have many purposes other than serving alcohol. The school name and date of the prom could be engraved on the glassware to truly give the prom attendants a tangible and long lasting memory of their big night. Although the school claimed a lack of funds for the inexpensive purchase, many other engraved glasses would have cost the same or less and would have been a more age-appropriate gift for its students. Engraved glassware provides a lasting reminder of a special event but the glassware itself has to be appropriate for the occasion. Handing out shot glasses to junior and senior students is not appropriate, especially in a school setting.

The senior class president at Warwick High School admits that there are frequently mixed signals being sent by the school administration, noting that in past years, champagne glasses have been given to students. Champagne glasses are specifically shaped and designed to trap the carbon dioxide bubbles in the beverage for a long period of time. There is no other purpose for such a specially made beverage glass.

There has not yet been any official word whether the shot glasses will be recalled by the school and a new gift given to the prom-goers. If that does happen, another engraved glass that can be used for other beverages would be a very suitable replacement. This would clear up the mixed signals being sent by the school and would instead send the message that great times can be had without the addition of alcohol, especially when underage teen drinking is involved.