Prom is the most iconic event at every high school. Past the glitz and glamour, most don’t realize the amount of time, effort, and precision that goes into planning a prom. By the time students start thinking about dresses and dates, the junior senators are already deep into logistics. Junior Turner Ashby, one of the senators responsible for planning the event, shared, “[Prom] is on everybody’s minds as soon as the year starts.” By early October, planning officially begins with the biggest decision: the venue.
“There’s a lot to consider, whether it’s budget, distance from school, how many people it can hold, even if it’s a wedding venue or not,” Ashby shared. The team researched a little less than 20 venues by emailing and calling, eventually narrowing down options. In the end, only two made the cut. After touring these locations, the senators landed on a venue just before winter break. From there, the process didn’t slow. Senators began meeting with Nikki, the PCDS prom coordinator, and started preparations.
The students are the center of every prom-related decision. Ashby said that junior senators are “not just planning prom based on what [they] think would be fun, but trying to make sure it’s for the student body.” This year, Senate opened up a lunchtime discussion for students to share theme or venue ideas, resulting in one student suggesting the 80s theme.
Junior senator Tara Ghafouri emphasized just how much student feedback plays into decision making: “We had an overwhelming amount of students reach out requesting that prom not be completely outdoors this year.” This feedback directly influenced the final venue choice.
The planning process is far from easy. Ashby shared that the most stressful part is the beginning. With venues booking quickly and so many unknowns early on, the pressure becomes intense. However, advice from the Big 4 helped to keep things in perspective. Ashby stated, “[The Big 4] told us not to worry too much and that it was all going to work out, and it did.” In addition to Ashby, Ghafouri shared that despite the stressful planning process, “it has all managed to come together.” She added, “We are very excited to show the student body what we have been working on for the past year.”
With major decisions locked in, the Senators’ focus has shifted to decorations and final details, the more fun side of planning. Students have their own opinions on the result. When asked about the 80’s theme of this year’s prom, senior Elsa Termansen said, “I think it’s pretty good. Will I be dressing to it? No. But I think the juniors picked a pretty good one.” Fellow senior Kathryn Barakat shared similar remarks: “I really like the 80s theme. I think it’s really fun and throwback. It’s gonna be fun and I hope the decorations are really good.”
At the end of the day, prom is more than just a night. It’s months of planning, student input, and collaboration culminating into the event of the year.
