Junior Class Board hosts full-fledged prom after three years

May we have this dance?

Senior+Dominic+Bakk+puts+a+corsage+on+senior+Maddie+Conrads+wrist.+The+couple+took+their+pre-prom+photos+at+Regency+Court+before+heading+to+dinner+at+the+Upstream.%0A-Photo+by+Jennifer+Castle

Jennifer Castle

Senior Dominic Bakk puts a corsage on senior Maddie Conrads wrist. The couple took their pre-prom photos at Regency Court before heading to dinner at the Upstream. -Photo by Jennifer Castle

Turner Wittstruck, Staff Reporter

The Enchanted Lights in the Forest lit up the CHI center for the class of 2022 for their first and only prom.

“It’s kind of what every high schooler dreams of,” senior Gaby Barrientos said.

Barrientos, along with her classmates, lost out on the chance for a junior prom last year because of the pandemic. Barrientos put it bluntly, saying, “it sucked.” With limitations on how many people could safely fit in one space, only seniors last year were invited to what became a combination of prom and post-prom all in one event.

Luckily, this class of seniors finally got their chance for a full capacity junior/senior dance and post prom after.

Senior Abby McGaughey said was on the fence about going until she remembered, “It was the only one I would be able to attend.” McGaughey explained further how she went to post-prom for the same reason and had “so much fun.”

Though most students coming to prom this year had never attended one before, they had little trouble picking up the traditions of this formal occasion and making it a memorable night.

“I think that since it was my only prom we just did whatever we could to make it fun,” senior Maddie Carley said. “I think it was just fun to finally be able to do stuff with our friends and have the whole school get together,” she said.

The special event was organized entirely by the Junior Class Board, and it was no easy task. Board member Aden Williams laid out difficulties coming off the pandemic, saying how there were “some supply chain issues going on, so getting all our decorations and supplies [took] a little bit longer than it probably would’ve two years ago.”

Williams said the goal of the board was to make the dance feel as normal as possible despite any challenges they may have faced planning it.

Students who attended say the evening did bring back some normalcy.

The best part of prom says senior Joel Anderjaska was “getting to see all the people I know enjoy themselves – at one point all together.”