Junior Prom may be over, but the talk of it definitely is not. On March 20, at 7 p.m., juniors flooded the Park Ridge Marriott, excited to experience what is known to be one of the most memorable moments of high school.
For months, the junior prom committee worked on making the night perfect for all of their fellow classmates. They spent time picking out a color scheme, making invitations, collecting forms, and cleaning centerpieces. They also spent endless hours trying to match each person to a table upon their requests.
I was able to interview the prom committee president and also junior class president, Tatiana Gallardo, and ask her some questions about what it was like to help plan her own junior prom. “Planning junior prom took more time and work than I had imagined. Without the effort that the prom committee and Ms. Scorese put in, junior prom would not have been possible. So many things had to be discussed, and at times, debated. We had to take our ideas and make them both possible and realistic. I wanted to make sure that the Class of 2016 had an amazing night, and I think that everything turned out to be a success,” Gallardo said. She also implied that the best part about planning prom was being able to be creative and hands on.
Unexpectedly, snow was predicted for prom night, and the school board was making the decision on whether to cancel or not. Students waited anxiously to hear the announcement that would decide the fate of the night. Luckily, Superintendent Mr. Erik Gundersen decided not to cancel prom, and juniors got a half-day out of it, too. Students spent the afternoon at hair appointments, makeup appointments, and prepping for the night. They also took hundreds of pictures and exchanged boutonnieres and corsages with their dates.
When arriving at prom, students enjoyed a cocktail hour with several different kinds of appetizers. It was not until about 8 p.m. when the main room opened up and students began to dance the night away. DJ Taso played all of the most popular songs and continued to make the students excited to dance throughout the whole night. When asking Ms. Rome, a chaperone at the junior prom, what her experience was like, all that she had to say were positive things. “It was really interesting to attend another junior prom 10 years after my own,” she says. “My favorite part was simply seeing my students just be teenagers, instead of students.” Ms. Rome says she would absolutely go to another prom and is very excited for next year’s senior prom at the Rockleigh, where she will actually be having her wedding in 2016.
When asking Jonathan Levin, a junior who attended the prom, how he thought it went, he said, “I’d have to say everything was spectacular. Everyone had a great time and the prom committee did such a great job planning such a great event.” He said that this year’s junior prom exceeded his expectations and the dancing was his favorite part.
Students not only enjoyed dancing, but also the wide selection of food that the Park Ridge Marriot served for dinner and dessert. Ms. Scorese, the junior class advisor who helped plan and budget the prom, also took some time out of the event to thank the prom committee for all of their hard work and dedication for planning such a wonderful night. During an interview, she said that this was her fourth time planning the junior prom and that this year was definitely the best.
With all of the hard work and planning from the prom committee, the juniors were able to experience an overall amazing night to celebrate the unity of the class of 2016. With only about a year left of high school, the juniors were able to enjoy the company of their fellow classmates for what might be one of the last times. What better way to celebrate than with a night dedicated to them? It is safe to say that this will definitely be a night to remember for the junior class.
