Junior and senior proms say goodbye to limos

This year students going to prom will find that their limos and party buses have been replaced with chartered buses. The main reason for the change is to quell the drama that usually accompanies the planning of the limo and party bus rides, according to assistant principal Karen Hyde.

“There have been concerns [surrounding limos and party buses] for a number of years and it was reiterated at the [proms] last year,” Hyde said. “There are two parallel issues. One is: Limos are expensive. And party buses are a concern—nobody checks for alcohol.”

Conflicts ensued last year at both the junior and senior proms as students would spontaneously decide to ride in different limos or ask to be dropped off by their drivers at multiple stops. According to Hyde, last year two fathers followed a party bus under the suspicion that the students snuck on alcohol.

“[The fathers] were there until the kids were dropped off and back to pick them up. We went, ‘really?’” Hyde said.

Contrary to the rumor that the buses will be sorted alphabetically, students will instead sign up for the bus they want to go on.

Members of the junior and senior class officers agree with the administrative decision.

“There is always so much unnecessary drama that comes along with limo situations and the buses will solve all of it,” senior class secretary Erin Wong said. “[They are] also going to save people a lot of money because the cost is going to be split up between everyone in the class.”

Junior class co-vice president Nicole Shadman also said that the charter buses will give students the chance to be more relaxed with pre-prom planning.

“I think that having buses definitely eliminates the awkward moment where all of your friends are going in one limo and there’s not enough room for you and your date, or they don’t like your date, etc.” Shadman said.

Most of the student leaders seem to approve this decision. Junior prom will be held at the Corinthian Grand Ballroom in San Jose on April 23. The location of senior prom, which takes place on May 21, has yet to be revealed.