Legs swinging high above the lights shining on the beach, both students and teachers took a ride on the gondola lift at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, enjoying the atmosphere, sweet treats, and the company of each other during an ideal prom evening on May 20.
More than 500 juniors and seniors dressed in handsome tuxedos and intricate prom dresses filed onto buses that would take them to the combined prom.
Students were allowed on all rides and games after paying with their reloadable game cards, which had 21 credits ($21). Some also chose to reload their cards with their own money in order to go on additional rides, as some popular rides like Typhoon cost up to $8 of credits each.
Popular rides such as Tower Drop and Big Dipper had long lines but were well worth the wait — crazy hair, undone makeup, and screams of terror heard across the park as students experienced rushes of adrenaline.
Attendees who chose to have a calmer, relaxing night took a peaceful evening walk with their friends or went with a date along the sandy shores as the setting sun shined upon the horizon.
“The sun setting in the background was the picture perfect setting for our prom photos on the beach,” junior Margaret Laver said.
As the last song “Cake By The Ocean” by DNCE played throughout the Cocoanut Grove venue, the Falcons ended the night at around 11 p.m. The dance floor provided a spacious area for couples to dance and friends to bust down swaggy dance moves.
As the night continued, hundreds of attendees flooded onto the dance floor which eventually turned into a big mosh pit. Even though the hot atmosphere tired even the most electrified dancers, many chose to stick it through and dance, dance, dance.
It wasn’t until almost midnight when the returning buses rolled into the school’s parking lots.
Senior Allison Tan, the senior class president, felt this year’s prom was held far more efficiently than last year’s prom. Last year, the venue only offered finger foods, such as chips and salad, and there weren’t tables for people to sit down at. This year, there was a multi-course meal with desserts and more than enough tables for everyone to sit and eat comfortably.
In addition, combining the junior and senior proms helped the school save $14,000 for future proms.
“I really like the prom this year; the decorations, food and venue made for a really amazing experience,” Tan said.