By Keelen Landrum
Photo by Maureen White
Ever wondered what the most anticipated event in high school is? Historically, the event known as prom originated in the 19th century for prestigious university students to showcase their wealth. Somehow along the way, it became a tradition for high schools worldwide. One night a year, upperclassmen spend hours dancing, singing, laughing, and flaunting their outfits with their peers. Here at the Willow School, prom is something looked forward to all year by juniors and seniors, something anticipated for the future for younger students, and is even referred to as “the night of nights” by senior Anne Blevins.
Before indulging in the activities of the night, the preparation period must occur. Depending on the student, this could be a days-long process or a few quick hours.
“I started getting ready at 10 a.m. and wasn’t completely done until 6 p.m.,” junior Amare Turner said.
It feels good to be confident in how you’re presenting yourself at an event like this, so if it takes eight hours for that to happen, then provide yourself with the time. However, there is no obligation to force you to spend hours pampering yourself.
“I think it took me about 2-3 hours to finish getting ready,” junior Olivia Martinez said.
Held at Club XLIV in the Superdome, students put school spirit on display in its finest fashions. Students showed their moves on the dance floor and refueled with macarons and chess squares before having their picture taken in costume at the new digital photo booth. “It was an amazing experience. I had a blast!” junior Fa’ryn Jones said.
Before the event, juniors and seniors were given the chance to vote on a prom court consisting of all seniors who’d become one of the four court members or one of the two prom royalty. The night of fun was briefly paused towards the end to announce the winners. This year, Henry Hull, Julia McCounduit, Elijah St.Martin, and Anya Coffil won prom court, while Sydney Roux and Talon Spears won prom royalty and were gifted crowns to commemorate the win.
That’s not where the winning stopped that night, though. Following prom, a school-sponsored after-party was held at Dave and Busters. Free game cards were provided, allowing attendees to play games and win tickets for the chance to win prizes of all kinds. Aside from the games, a raffle was held giving anyone with the free tickets a chance to win prizes from a TV to a mini fridge. Even upon exiting the building, students received plastic eggs with cash prizes in it with bills ranging from $1-$100.
While the juniors were getting a taste of their first prom, the seniors were soaking up their last.
“I’m going to miss the rush of adrenaline I got from spending months looking for an outfit and then finally feeling the satisfaction of completing the search,” senior Jacob Keelen said.
The majority of attendees deemed the colorful night a success. Many juniors left stating that they were excited to return next year. Congrats, upperclassmen, on a wonderful “night of nights”!
