Just a few months ago, the Class of 2021’s hopes to experience any aspects of a normal senior year looked grim. The pandemic seemed never-ending, and the idea of a senior prom appeared to be impossible.
But with COVID-19 restrictions loosening and hundreds of students coming back to campus for hybrid learning, the seniors will have the opportunity to attend a prom before they graduate.
Class officers have advertised a masquerade-themed prom complete with dancing, carnival games, a gourmet dinner, dessert bar, music and gala decorations.
Vice president Aliza Zaman wanted seniors to know about all the efforts going on behind the scenes.
“Senior class office has been working really hard to get everything planned well and make our prom unforgettable, even during different times,” she said.
The event will be held in the quad on May 29 from 5-8 p.m. Along with being required to wear a mask and social distance, seniors will be divided into two cohorts — of which they can choose — and dinner tables will have fewer seats spaced farther out in order to ensure safety.
The quad will be split into two sections based on the cohorts. At the beginning of the event, seniors will be treated to a high-end dinner and dessert bar. Then, they can move to the second half of the quad, where dancing and games such as foosball, basketball and ping pong will be hosted.
“We are facing many different challenges, especially with making sure everything fulfills the wants of our class but also stays in line with safety requirements,” Zaman said.
Her spirits have not been deterred by the many bumps the senior class office has faced along the way, such as a lack of funding.
Although the Class of 2021 has been raising money to pay for prom since freshman year, the cancellation of junior prom took away a considerable source of income for senior prom. The seniors plan to make up these funds through fundraisers and donations on the SHS webstore.
Zaman said that ticket prices, which are set to be $50 with ASB and $55 without, are substantially lower than in previous years, and she hopes this will incentivize seniors to attend. Tickets are available for purchase from May 3 to 25.
Senior Jessie Zhou is looking forward to attending the event, despite its unconventional nature.
“Even though it’s on campus and not as many people will go, I’m happy to know the school and leadership are putting in such a tremendous effort to make senior year memorable,” Zhou said. “I’m most looking forward to just being able to socialize and have a fun night with my classmates before we all graduate.”
