ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- People danced up a storm at Notre Dame High School in Elmira on Friday for a senior prom celebration. But it wasn't the kind of senior prom you might think.

May marks Older Americans Month, and, across the country, the theme for this year's celebration is Flip The Script On Aging. At Notre Dame High School, generations came together to celebrate.

The music was loud, the outfits were dressy, and the smiles were hard to miss. However, it wasn't just any prom, it was a senior prom for senior citizens.

The junior class of Notre Dame High School worked with the Chemung County Department of Aging and Long Term Care to put on the senior prom as part of a service project.

"So this is our class retreat," said Payton Sutryk, a volunteer and junior at NDHS. "Every class here at Notre Dame does a day of retreat where they can just do a little bit of service and spend time as a class. So today is our retreat, when we get to meet people in the community and spend some time together."

Even though it was their class's community service project, no detail was spared by the students. Older guests could put on corsages and boutonnieres, grab a glass of punch, take photos in crowns and sashes, and more.

"I think it's really important for the youth," said Beth Stranges, the director of the Chemung County Department of Aging and Long Term Care. "You know, this is exactly what they do, their community service and, you know, this is Older Americans Month, we're in the Month of May now which is all about giving back, volunteerism, finding out what people are doing in the community, what our youth can do, what our older adults can do, and how we can work together."

After a quick lunch made by students, it was time for folks to hit the dance floor, including one guest who was 103 years old.

"I like to go where there's music and go dancing..." said Oliver "Ollie" Lindblad, an attendee at the dance. "I hope they play some good dance music, maybe I can find somebody to dance with. I have to use my walker."

It didn't take very long for Ollie and other guests to find their partners and bring all generations down to the dance floor.

"Oh, it's been so fun to see the joy on their faces, and some of them have never been to a prom before, so it was a really cool experience to be able to do this for them," said Sabrina O'Connor, another volunteer and junior at NDHS.

The prom also saw visits from state officials who said it's important to honor older people and challenge stereotypes.

"When you're able to bring folks together, you know we've got to stop the cycle at some point of thinking of older people as them, as drains on resources, as takers and not givers, and it's exactly the opposite," said Greg Olsen, the director of the New York State Office for the Aging. "So, watching the interactions, people will sit down, they'll talk to each other. It's really beneficial for the older adults to interact with younger people and vice versa."

Becky Preve, the executive director of the Association on Aging in New York agreed, adding, "When you get students or young adults in with the older population, you see that no one is on a cell phone. Everyone is interacting with one another. We've done a lot of work with intergenerational games, different activities, and it's really a moment in time where we're combating ageism by showing the younger population the enormous value that's in this room, the stories that individuals have to tell, and it's really just a beautiful thing."

Olsen also shared that there are currently proposed changes at the federal level that could have a huge impact on the Chemung County office and the other 58 Offices for the Aging across the state. He says it could result in reductions to home-delivered meals and congregate meals, elimination of adult protective services, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, health insurance information, the counseling assistance program, and a lot of other services.

"They're all spelled out there, and the only way that you can participate in a democracy is if you are participating," said Olsen. "So it's important for folks to know, because these types of things aren't being talked about right now."

The Chemung County Department of Aging and Long Term Care is not done with the national celebration just yet.

On Wednesday, May 14, at 2:00 P.M., the county will host its Older Americans Month Celebration at the New Beginnings United Methodist Church on East Miller Street in Elmira.

Additionally, the department will soon be kicking off the annual Senior Games on May 20 and running through June 12. More information on the upcoming schedule can be found here.

To learn more about proposed cuts and other resources that are available for senior citizens in your region, you can head over to the New York State Office for the Aging website.